An interlocutory injunction ruling by an İstanbul court seized 23 trucks, loaded with the equipments of world famous circus Cirque du Soleil and did not let them leave the İpsala Customs Gate on Turkey-Greece border, a Turkish daily reported on Tuesday.
According to the story in Hürriyet daily, the decision was taken by İstanbul’s 1st Civil Court for Intellectual and Industrial Property Rights on Monday upon a complaint by ESO Organization.
ESO, the organizer of EXPO 2016 Antalya, and Canada-based Cirque du Soleil company made a deal in March thish year for 40 shows in Turkey as part of EXPO 2016 Antalya, however, Canadian company cancelled them due to security reasons after the failed coup attempt in Turkey on July 15.
ESO Cultural Programs Editor Harun Güzel told in a statement by on Monday that the EXPO 2016 Antalya lost more than $5 million because of the cancellation of 40 shows by Cirque du Soleil.
Güzel said that Cirque du Soleil unfairly canceled the contract, however performed in İstanbul between October 1 to 9. “It was unacceptable and would damage the expo’s image,” Güzel added.
Various shows have been canceled across Turkey this year due to terror attacks by Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) and Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) as well as the deadly July 15 coup attempt.