An agreement to pay T&T, the company contracted to build, operate and transfer the new Ercan Airport the sum of 59 million Euros, has sparked outrage in some quarters, Yeniduzen reports.
The monies, originally reported to be a tax break, are in fact compensation to be paid to T&T for 27 months of delays caused by the pandemic.
Tufan Erhürman, Republican Turkish Party (CTP) President, who likened the Ercan Airport supplementary contract to “judgement garagushi”, said that it is obvious how much damage the UBP-DP-YDP Government has caused the country, and said, “Of course, this will be accounted for and demanded” .
Erhürman also asked the government item by item questions and called on them to “pack your bags and get ready to leave as soon as possible“.
These are some of the comments he made and questions he asked:
- The Ercan Contract was signed in 2012 and Article 1 stipulated that the Company’s operating period would end after 25 years, i.e. after 25 years, Ercan would be transferred to the State.
- Article 11 of the Contract stipulated that in cases of force majeure such as “epidemic disease”, the total period of the force majeure would be added to the end of the operating period.
- Article 31 of the Contract stipulated that in case of dispute between the parties, the competent court would be the TRNC courts.
- Now, with the “additional contract no: 5”, additional provisions have been introduced to the 2012 Main Contract.
- Accordingly, first of all, the duration of the pandemic has been accepted as 27 months and 9 days. The first question is here. What is the justification for accepting the pandemic as 27 months and nine days? In this case, will the state accept that the pandemic lasted 27 months and 9 days in all its transactions in terms of all segments/sectors damaged by the pandemic in the country?
- Second question: In this case, will the state accept that the pandemic lasted for 27 months and 9 days in all its operations in terms of all sectors/sectors in the country affected by the pandemic?
- With the additional contract, it was agreed that 59 million Euros would be paid to the Company instead of extending the term of the contract due to the epidemic (force majeure).
Erhurman goes on to point to the rising cost of living in North Cyprus due to the devaluation of the Turkish Lira and points out that these monies to be paid to T&T could be better spent elsewhere.
