ISTANBUL, Jan 20 (AFP) - Many Turks ignored official calls for the hygienic slaughter of animals for the Muslim holy day of Eid al-Adha on Thursday, causing angst amongst politicians focused on upcoming negotiations to join the European Union.
In several districts of Istanbul, Turkey`s largest city with 12 million people, residents were using the sides of the trans-European motorway to slaughter their sheep and cattle in the mud, private television channels reported.
Residents were also shown butchering sheep and cattle carcasses hung from electricity pylons.
Residents of the northeastern cities of Trabzon on the Black Sea and Bursa also slaughtered animals in public places, the Anatolia news agency reported.
However the practice is strictly forbidden by local councils with fines of up 700 euros (900 dollars). Local councils provide special areas for animal slaughter with 448 in Istanbul alone. This practice began after earlier public outrage over animal killings occurring in public spaces such as parks.
The continuing unhealthy slaughter of animals is worrying local politicians looking towards Turkey`s negotiations to join the EU which begin on October 3.
"We don`t want this type of thing repeated during the negotiations for our integration into the European Union," said Istanbul governor Muammer Guler.
01/20/2005 14:35 GMT - AFP