Turkey plans to ‘revitalise’ Maraş

MARAŞ will be “revitalised” with the help of the Turkish government, the municipality of the Turkish city of Konya, and Toki, the Housing Development Administration of Turkey, it was revealed on Wednesday.

The announcement was made by Turkish Environment and Urbanisation Minister Murat Kurum who conducted an inspection of Maraş.

He said that plans were being drawn up for landscaping, footpaths, cycle paths and the infrastructure needs of the town, which until early October had been closed to civilian life for 46 years.

Following his visit, Mr Kurum said: “Turkey has been and will be standing next to the Turkish Cypriot people as always.” He thanked Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and President Ersin Tatar who “pioneered” the opening of Maraş.

Mr Kurum said that the inspection of Maraş, which he said was once the “heart of Mediterranean tourism”, was made with “all stakeholders who will undertake the construction work of the infrastructure”.

He said that Turkey is the

“defender of the Turkish Cypriots’ righteous struggle.”

Mr Kurum was accompanied on the visit by Turkish ambassador to Lefkoşa Ali Murat Başçeri, Tourism and Environment Minister Kutlu Evren, Konya Mayor Uğur İbrahim Altay, Gazimağusa Mayor İsmail Arter and Tok chairman Mehmet Ergün Turan.

Mr Kurum also paid a courtesy visit to President Ersin Tatar in Lefkoşa. Mr Tatar said that the rebuilding of Maraş’s infrastructure and communal areas by Konya Municipality and Toki was “very important for human rights and TRNC tourism and the economy”.

The forthcoming visit of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, on November 15, who is expected to tour Maraş, is “very important”, Mr Tatar added.

Mr Kurum said he “wished the best for President Tatar in his mission”.