Restoration work on the old harbour, which was expected to be completed within six months, began in December 2022. Since which time, there have been a number of delays.
Özdenef, in a post on social media, called for work to be completed as soon as possible. “There can be no spring without Kyrenia, no Kyrenia without the harbour“, she said.
The MP for Kyrenia posted the following:
“As we say hello to spring in a few weeks, the fact that the restoration project of Kyrenia Ancient Harbour is still not fully completed continues to cause inconvenience for the local businesses, sailors, tourists, and the people of Kyrenia. This morning, I had the opportunity to take a short walk and talk to both local businesses and friends I encountered there. Unfortunately, the current situation is far from what we desire.
“The promised arrangements have not yet been made, neither the pergolas nor umbrellas have been placed in front of the restaurants. In fact, there is still confusion about how the final version of the project will be. Some businesses have placed their tables and chairs outside, but uncertainty and disorder persist.
“The lack of security measures in the area where the boats are moored and the failure to take safety precautions in the designated walking area pose a serious risk. Despite assurances from the Minister in parliament, the fact that the deteriorated old decks have not yet been replaced presents a significant safety concern. A few days ago, I received information that a young person narrowly escaped injury when walking on the decaying wooden decks, which broke but luckily did not result in any harm.
“The section that is expected to be preserved under the glass floor* and add visual value to the harbour remains invisible due to internal condensation”.
“Spring cannot be complete without Kyrenia and Kyrenia cannot be without the harbour. Urgent efforts are needed to conclude the necessary work. Government officials, including the Minister of Tourism, cannot ignore this situation, and as one local business owner expressed, there should be no right to ‘ignore’ the region or its people!”
*In February 2023, it was reported that during restoration of the old harbour old railway tracks were discovered. Kyrenia Mayor Murat Şenkul said that the old train tracks will give added interest to visitors and the intention was to make them partly visible by constructing a glass floor. [Ed.]
