Tourism may once again be the “injured party” in a political scandal — tourists in Turkey have been warned about terrorist attacks being prepared. According to the Turkish press, statements at the level of the Foreign Ministry were made in several countries of the European Union and the United States, referring to the statements of the Foreign Ministry of Germany, as well as the consulates of France and the United States, which issued an official warning to their tourists. But since a terrorist attack does not distinguish between nationalities, caution will not hinder all tourists, including Ukrainians who had to flee from the war.
All these statements were made for one reason – terrorist attacks are feared after the Koran-burning actions in Sweden, and then in Denmark and the Netherlands. For example, the statement of the German Foreign Ministry reads as follows: “The burning of the Koran in front of the Turkish embassy in Sweden has recently increased the risk of terrorist attacks in Turkey. Therefore, one should avoid being in crowded public places and be careful when visiting religious places of worship.” We will remind you that the same famous Saint Sophia can be considered as the “place of worship”, after its “requalification” into a mosque.
The US consulate made the following statement: “Following the recent Koran burnings in Europe, the US government is warning its citizens of possible terrorist attacks in response to places of worship in Turkey. They can attack almost without warning. Tourists were advised to first of all be vigilant “in places frequented by Westerners”, as well as avoid crowded places and crowds, distrust strangers, and monitor the embassy’s website “to be aware of the latest warnings and messages for US citizens”. The consulates of France and Spain give practically similar advice to their citizens.
In a warning from the Italian consulate, which is particularly interesting, lists cities in which tourists are advised to “exercise caution in places of worship and centers of religious associations”, especially in the case of religious ceremonies or political demonstrations. Among them are named Istanbul, Ankara, Izmir, as well as “the most famous tourist and coastal destinations”.
Italians also remind their tourists about the November terrorist attack in Istanbul. We will remind, then, on November 13, 2022, at 4 p.m. on the popular tourist street Istiklal in Istanbul. According to preliminary data, as a result of the explosion, 6 people died, 81 were injured, two of them seriously