In a stunning display of ministerial hypocrisy, Turkey's Transport Minister Abdulkadir Uraloğlu has been slapped with a substantial fine after proudly posting footage of himself tearing down a public motorway at 140mph.
The controversial video, shared on the minister's official social media accounts, shows Uraloğlu behind the wheel of a high-performance vehicle while dramatically exceeding Turkey's maximum speed limit by more than 60mph.
Political Fallout and Public Outrage
The incident has sparked fury among Turkish citizens and opposition politicians, who have condemned the minister's blatant disregard for road safety laws his own ministry is meant to enforce. Critics have labelled the act as "spectacular hypocrisy" given Uraloğlu's position as the government official responsible for transportation safety.
Social media users quickly circulated the video, with many expressing shock that a serving transport minister would openly celebrate such dangerous driving behaviour. The footage shows the minister accelerating rapidly while passengers can be heard in the background.
Legal Consequences and Official Response
Following the viral spread of the video, Ankara authorities were forced to take action, issuing the minister with a significant fine for excessive speeding. Official reports confirm the penalty was processed through standard legal channels, though the exact amount remains undisclosed.
The transport ministry released a brief statement acknowledging the incident but stopped short of offering a full apology. Instead, officials emphasized the minister's commitment to road safety initiatives, a response that has done little to quell public anger.
Road Safety Experts Condemn Minister's Actions
Transportation safety advocates have expressed grave concern over the incident, noting that such behaviour from a senior government official undermines years of road safety campaigns. "This sends exactly the wrong message to drivers," stated one road safety campaigner. "When the transport minister himself ignores speed limits, it makes enforcement efforts incredibly difficult."
The controversy comes at a sensitive time for Turkey's transportation policies, with the government having recently launched new initiatives to reduce traffic accidents and improve road safety standards nationwide.
