The Board Chairman of the Taş-Yapı and T&T Airport Operations Management, Emrullah Turanlı, said that there is no legal reason to prevent direct flights to Ercan Airport and stated that the issue is totally political.
Providing information on the New Ercan Airport, Turanlı stated that the airport will add great momentum to North Cyprus.
Pointing out that Ercan Airport, which cost 1 million Turkish Lira, is completely owned by the public, Turanlı emphasized that every Cypriot living in Cyprus has earned the right to Ercan Airport.
“This airport has a good source of income of 25 million Euros annually. You will receive this income every year. You have received 250-300 million so far. If 3 or 4 more similar projects are carried out in our country, then it will affect the island in a good way as such investments bring more than 100 million Euros to the country annually. The North’s 30 thousand tourist bed capacity needs to increase to 100 thousand,” he said.
Noting that daily flights from Antalya to Ercan Airport are essential, “We want Ercan Airport to take part in Türkiye’s domestic flights. We want them to be able to fly to North Cyprus from Türkiye in the morning, visit the historical and cultural places in Cyprus, and return home in the evening,” Turanlı said.
“WE HAVE MADE TWO IMPORTANT AGREEMENTS”
Emrullah Turanlı noted that two or three islands in the Mediterranean attract 7 to 10 million tourists annually, yet North Cyprus has not been one of those islands for the past 50 years. Turanlı said that efforts were carried out investigating well before the airport was built to meet international and safety standards.
Turanlı said that two very important projects were carried out on the Ercan Airport. He stated that the first project was to prepare an international report to ensure a greater increase in passengers by developing and promoting the geography, culture, history, and tourism of North Cyprus with the completion of the new Ercan Airport.
As for the second project, Turanlı stated that they have undertaken an investment by assigning German Prof. Dr. Stefan Talmon to conduct research on whether or not flying directly to North Cyprus is prohibited. Following the research, future goals will also be determined.
“THERE IS NO PROHIBITION TO PREVENT DIRECT INTERNATIONAL FLIGHTS TO ERCAN”
Turanlı said “It is unacceptable to persecute the people of North Cyprus while there is no legal reason to ban direct flights. What is Ercan’s airport stand according to the law? As German Prof. Dr. Stefan Talmon also stated in his thesis, asking whether or not flying to North Cyprus is banned. This is a very important subject. According to the report, there is no such ban on international direct flights. So why can’t we fly directly? It is our Greek Cypriot neighbors who are hindering us. Let me make one thing clear, we love our neighbors. We have nothing against them. This issue will be resolved if the two sides are left to deal with things alone, but this is not possible when others interfere. Direct flights are banned to Ercan Airport as no one wants our Greek Cypriot neighbors to get offended. They are worried that the Greek Cypriots will react against them. “This choice is entirely political,” he said.
Turanlı said that some airline companies that previously wanted to fly to North Cyprus stated that there were some deficiencies at Ercan Airport. “Large planes were not able to land, that was in the past,” he said. Adding that the most modern and advanced technologies are being used at the New Ercan Airport, Turanlı said “We made this a matter of pride and we succeeded. We have done a good job, may it bring good luck to our nation,” he was cited as saying.
Related Posts
‘How can we remain silent,’ about the famine in Gaza, UN special rapporteur says
On Friday, the UN's special rapporteur on Palestine questioned how the world could stay "silent" or "indifferent" to the situation Read more
Risks grow for Mediterranean-bound migrants, according to a UN research
More migrants and refugees are embarking on dangerous journeys across Africa towards the southern shores of the Mediterranean Sea where Read more
