Resistance against 'Azmanbüs' continues in the Princes' Islands

The electric minibuses introduced by the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality (İBB) on Büyükada, which residents call "azmanbüs," continue to be a subject of debate in the city. Members of the Adalar Solidarity Network gathered at Fatih Saraçhane Park to express their reaction to the implementation and held a protest in front of the İBB building.

Carrying banners that read "We do not want azmanbüs in the Islands for walkable Islands," the group chanted slogans against the İBB. Speaking on behalf of the group, Ayda Karasulu stated the following:

"We have come to defend the Islands not only for ourselves but for all Istanbulites. Our coasts are being handed over to private businesses, and our forests are being fenced off and privatized. We are facing a new danger on our roads, whose natural structure has already been damaged: the azmanbüs. These massive minibuses not only threaten our safety and the safety of stray animals, but they also pave the way for the Islands to be opened up to construction."

'THE PROTECTED STATUS OF THE ISLANDS MUST BE PRESERVED'

Reminding that the Princes' Islands are closed to motor vehicles, Karasulu added:

"Conservation boards have declared the entire Islands a protected area and stated that all its roads have been granted pedestrian-only status. The Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality is obliged to comply with this decision. Mr. İmamoğlu is misleading the public by claiming that there is a public transportation problem in the Islands. In reality, there is no such problem in the Islands."

WHAT IS THE NEED ANALYSIS BASED ON?

Drawing attention to the shortcomings in public transportation across the city, Karasulu said:

"Bus service frequencies are insufficient in every neighborhood of Istanbul. However, the azmanbüs, which were purchased for 8 million liras each for the Islands, are being brought here while needs in other districts are ignored. We want to understand the justification for this decision. Do the azmanbüs really serve to solve a public transportation problem, or do they have another purpose? We have resisted this implementation for 178 days, and we will continue our resistance."

At the end of the protest, group members submitted petitions signed by residents of the Islands to the İBB Directorate of Correspondence.

News Source: 12punto