Will There Be a Curfew During Ramadan Bayram? In today’s cabinet meeting led by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, significant decisions regarding the coronavirus are expected. One of the main issues to be decided is whether a curfew will be enforced during Ramadan Bayram, which falls on May 23, 24, 25 and 26. The discussion will cover not only measures for the holiday itself but also the post-holiday period.
According to reports ahead of the cabinet meeting chaired by President Erdoğan, a four-day curfew covering the Ramadan Bayram period is strongly considered. This would include the eve of the holiday, resulting in a total of four days of restrictions. Authorities are expected to lift many bans following the end of the holiday period.
The President Will Announce the Cabinet Decisions
The outcomes of the cabinet meeting will be announced by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan in a public address. Due to the risk of gatherings and the challenge of maintaining social distancing, officials are reportedly leaning toward a four-day curfew in major cities for Ramadan Bayram. Based on the recommendations of the Scientific Advisory Board, the curfew would start on Saturday, May 23, and continue through May 24, 25 and 26.
In today’s meeting, the cabinet is also expected to discuss gradual, controlled easing of restrictions in provinces where travel bans have already been lifted. Officials will review results from a week of reopenings that began on May 11, 2020—covering shopping malls, barbers and hairdressers—and consider whether to expand the next steps of the normalization process. Additionally, the cabinet will evaluate Scientific Advisory Board recommendations regarding relaxation of curfew measures for citizens aged 65 and over and those 20 and under, and make decisions on any adjustments to those rules.