A massive privatization push is on the horizon

Having disposed of many valuable public assets of the state through privatization decisions, the government also included privatization in its 2026 plans.

The Medium-Term Program ( MTP ), which outlines the country's economic roadmap, revealed that the government will place even greater emphasis on privatization in the coming years. Data under the "general government balance" heading in the program revealed the extent of revenue expectations based on the sale of public assets.

Accordingly, privatization revenues, estimated at 21 billion lira in 2025, are expected to surge to 185 billion lira in 2026. In other words, a nearly nine-fold increase in privatization revenues is targeted in one year.

CLAIM THAT THE BOSPHORUS AND FSM BRIDGES WILL BE SOLD

During the AKP's rule, numerous public resources, from ports and energy facilities to land and factories, were divested. Now, figures in the Medium Term Program (MTP) indicate that one of the largest privatization campaigns in history is imminent in 2026.

Meanwhile, a report by US-based Bloomberg, citing sources it has accessed, suggests that the Bosphorus Bridge and the Fatih Sultan Mehmet Bridge , which have previously been on the agenda, are also included in the privatization plan. The report also noted that the Privatization Administration has sent a call for proposals to investment banks in this regard.

According to Bloomberg, the sale was considered a "project" of Treasury and Finance Minister Mehmet Şimşek. The report also noted that negotiations were still in the early stages and that no agreement was likely to be reached.

A similar sales process was previously discussed in 2012, when a $5.7 billion bid was submitted for the operating rights of approximately 2,000 kilometers of roads and bridges. Koç Holding, Gözde Girişim, and Malaysia-based UEM Group won that tender, but the tender was canceled because the bid was deemed too low.

It peaked during the AKP period.

According to the report published by Patrick Sykes, Kerim Karakaya and Fırat Kozok, sources who provided information about the process but requested anonymity stated that the preparations had not been announced to the public.

A total of $71.6 billion worth of privatizations were made between 1986 and 2024; $63.5 billion of these sales were made during the AKP period.

Of the sales made during the AKP period, $39 billion consisted of share sales, $17.3 billion of business/facility sales, $651 million of hotel/social facility sales, $4.7 billion of real estate sales, and $708 million of asset sales.