but I thought there was an active push to raise alcohol prices and ban advertising in the UK ours might not be for religious purposes but for health grounds we already have a ban on cigarette advertising and I am sure there was a ban on alcohol sponsoring sports events some time ago and the Scottish government where raising prices on the alcohol volume
Similar to what I was told also in Turkey when I asked why the alcohol prices shot up a few years ago, religion was not mentioned just that the government did not want a promote a drink culture growing amongst the young. How much of that answer was true I don't know, It does sound like an easier answer to a western tourist than "than the government wants to make the country far more Islamic and its people to follow Islamic religious doctrine's ". If it was Health surely then cigarettes would be a first to tax through the roof.
With the wee fella its personal. Yes, protecting "our youth" is the phrase used - however, Turkey has never really had a major alcohol drinking culture, certainly not in the way countries to the west of it have.
When he was mayor of Istanbul way back in the nineties he banned alcohol from any municipal premises. The recent legislation in respect of advertising runs deep - not only does it ban the promotion in any shape or form, anyone drinking or smoking is now blurred out on television.
As far as taxation goes, since 2003 the price of a bottle of raki has increased by 500% with the majority of that tax (OTV otherwise known as Special Consumption Tax). Beer and wine suffered the same fate with tax rises meaning they've increased by 423% and 235% respectively.
I'm all for the promotion of healthy choices and education (and protection) of young folks in respect of alcohol - what I don't agree with is the personal vendetta being waged against anyone who doesn't agree with the wee fellas views on alcohol. I don't think this bears any resemblance to the various campaigns in the UK.
Tobacco is being hit just as bad - I dont have any figures to hand but I do know that in 2016, the government collected 30 billion lira in tax from tobacco products and 8 billion lira in tax from alcohol.
JF