Turkey’s 'megaprojects' off to disappointing start
In an outcome that many have long feared, Turkey’s “megaprojects” are underperforming, meaning the government now has to compensate the construction companies under contract terms.
The Turkish government’s megaprojects have never been short of controversy, especially after 2011 when they formed the backbone of the Justice and Development Party’s (AKP) election platform that year.
The latest project to build a suspension bridge over the Dardanelles Strait kicked off with fanfare earlier this month, touted as a message of “Turkey’s greatness” to the world. A common feature of the projects, which are built as public-private partnerships (PPP), is their voter-centered political motivation, which seems to take precedence over other considerations, such as feasibility and public interest.
