Saturday, 7 January 2023
The budget for the Ministry of Public Works and Transport, which was envisaged as in excess of 1.36 billion Turkish Lira was approved by a majority at the General Assembly.
Minister of Public Works and Transport, Erhan Arıklı, first touched upon the issue of Ercan Airport in his address to the General Assembly.
He said that although the construction of the new terminal building had been completed, technical devices still needed to be installed.
Test flights from the new terminal will begin in March, Arıklı said.
Once up and running, Ercan will be the fourth largest airport in the Republic of Turkey and will generate an income of around 300 million Turkish Lira annually.
Direct Flights From Russia
Referring to direct flights, Arıklı stated that he had made the necessary negotiations on this issue, and had received the applications, but direct flight to Russia were postponed because the government was exposed to pressure from Russia, and that it was not only up to them.
High Cost of Airfares
Referring to the high ticket prices and the establishment of the flagship airline company, Arıklı talked about the initiatives he had taken in this regard. The government had a duty to reduce airfares, he said, adding that he was trying to establish a private company, and was aiming for new companies to enter the market and make the tickets cheaper.
Financial Resources For 4.5/5G Broadband
Arıklı stated that the government would provide considerable financial resources and would invest 25 million dollars in addition to that money that was invested by private companies.
He said that the TRNC could expect to have 4G within six months.
Famagusta Port
The minister said that Famagusta Port is on the verge of collapse and that there were problems with security at the port.
According to an EU report, it would take two hundred million euros to upgrade the port.
Telephone Service
Arıklı said that the telephone office had been neglected for years and that the government would launch a pilot fibre optic project beginning in Gönyeli.
Following the speeches, the budget was approved.