Boisterous celebrations by Syrians on New Year’s Eve in Istanbul’s Taksim Square, where the Syrian flag and Free Syrian Army (FSA) banners were waved amidst anti-Assad chants, has reignited the heated debate in Turkey over Syrian refugees.

Many are claiming Syrian youngsters are enjoying a good time in Turkey instead of traveling to Syria — “where Turkish soldiers are fighting and dying” — to liberate their country from a tyrant.

Fact and fiction are entwined in this debate, which is laced with accusations of racism and intolerance. Many Turks are angry, for example, over the privileges the government has been extending to Syrians while ordinary Turks struggle to eke out a living. Many also argue that Syrians are undercutting the labor market and depriving Turks of their livelihood. Also fueling the debate is “Syrian ghettoization” in Istanbul and other cities, where certain districts have been overrun with Arabic shop signs.

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan continues to boast about the 3.6 million Syrians Turkey has given shelter to. He also complains that Turkey has been footing the bill while European countries squabble over quotas on how many refugees they will accept. Ankara says it has spent over $30 billion from its own coffers on the refugees so far.