In the ongoing debate about the construction of the new presidential complex in Nicosia, which is being funded by Turkey, President of the Chamber of Civil Engineers (IMO) Gürkan Yağcıoğlu, said that it is wrong to view the complex as a building or as a service to the community, Yeniduzen reported.
He said, “If you say to our President or Prime Minister, ‘the complex is unnecessary’, it is either ‘Greek Cypriot’, ‘enemy of Turkey’ or ‘traitor to the homeland’. If there’s a traitor, it’s not us. How will those who turn their backs on society so much, who do not consider any institution or human resource the society, govern the country? We are talking about a mentality that ignores society and its values, if there is a traitor, it is not us.
“Who he is is debatable, but it is certain that we are not“, he said. Yağcıoğlu said that the Turkish Cypriots are faced with practices that ignore their wishes.
He questioned how the President and Prime Minister expect respect from others, while they do not respect their own laws, institutions and human resources.
Yağcıoğlu said that it was important to focus on what was relevant and important to the Turkish Cypriot.
“The Urban Planning Department, Construction Committee, NTM should intervene in the issue”, Yağcıoğlu said.
When asked about the ‘No to the Complex Platform which demonstrated against the construction of the presidential complex, following which, it all went quiet, Yağcıoğlu said: “As can be understood from the architecture of the complex and the irregularity of its construction, it is in no way worthy of the Turkish Cypriot community and is not an application that we deserve. This is one of the main reasons for the opposition by society. We went through a process that was put into practice with the decisions made by others. We have our own laws, the 21/2005 KTMMOB law clearly and unequivocally describes how and with what procedure all structures, including state projects, must be built.
“The structure in question is in no way remotely compatible with these procedures. In addition, no room has been reserved for such a structure in the Nicosia Development Plan. Therefore, the City Planning Department, the Construction Committee and the NTM should intervene in the matter….
“The Ministry of Labour must fulfil its duties. As far as I learned on Thursday, the company’s team of 10-11 people from Turkey is working in the field. By law, these people are not authorised to serve here the day after they arrive on the island. Therefore, this is also irregularity, illegality. The Ministry of Labour should also be involved in the process and fulfil its duties. From the very beginning, from the moment it was decided to build the complex, we have been going through a completely illegal process”.