GAZİMAGUSA MAYOR ARTER SAID:
“WE ARE OPENING TWO BEACHES IN MARAŞ TO THE PUBLIC THIS SUMMER SEASON. EVERYONE CAN COME HERE”
“LANES WERE MADE ON BOTH STREETS OPENED TO VISIT IN MARAŞ. NO ENTRY AND INTERVENTION ON ANYONE’S PRIVATE PROPERTY. THE GREEK CYPRIOT PEOPLE DO NOT NEED TO BE DISTURBED BY THIS”
“THE AREA IN FRONT OF THE GREEK SECONDARY SCHOOL HAS BEEN CLEANED WITHOUT TOUCHING ITS STRUCTURE AND ARCHITECTURE WILL BE CONSIDERED AS A ‘TEA GARDEN’”
The works in closed Maraş, which is located within the borders of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) opened to the public in October 2020, 46 years later, continue at full speed.
With the easing of the conditions of the coronavirus (Covid-19) in the TRNC, the work in the Maraş region, which started to be opened gradually last year, continues.
In addition to the environmental and landscaping arrangements made in the Maraş region, work continues for the establishment of two beaches and a tea garden in the public area.
After the Covid-19 restrictions are lifted in the TRNC, the region is expected to be visited by many local and foreign tourists in the summer months.
With the new arrangement, the opened section of Maraş can be visited by pedestrians between 08:00 and 20:00.
information about the ongoing works from the Mayor of Famagusta, İsmail Arter.
Arter noted that the opening process of Closed Maras has continued since October 2020, and said, “Although the pandemic process has had a negative impact from time to time, it has slowed down the arrival of visitors, not our work. Since October 2020, over 140 thousand people have visited Maraş, Kennedy and We know that they have visits to the routes on the Avenue of Democracy.” said.
Stating that 2,000 people visited Maraş on the weekend after the Checkpoints with the Greek Cypriot side were opened on 4 June with the Covid-19 measures, Arter said that TRNC citizens were among these 2,000 people.
Arter said, “I hope the Maraş opening will have a positive impact in the Cyprus negotiation process and will contribute to the progress of both sides towards an agreement at the table.”
Reminding that the gradual opening process of Maraş started with a political decision, Arter noted that as Famagusta Municipality, they are in the technical part of the job.
Arter said, “We are opening two beaches in Maraş this year with the summer season.
Everyone can come here. One beach will be in the area called ‘Nation’s Garden’ or ‘picnic area’, a beach close to 500 meters. We placed 250 umbrellas here. “In the coming days, it will be a beach that will be used by people with its buffets,” he said.
Noting that environmental cleanliness is very important to them, Arter noted that the area in front of the Greek Secondary School was cleaned by the Municipality of Famagusta, and that the cleaned area will be considered as a “tea garden” without touching its structure and architecture.
“THIS WORK WILL CONTINUE”
Arter said, “Lanes have been drawn on both streets opened to visitors in Maraş. There is no question of entering or interfering with anyone’s private property. The Greek Cypriot people do not need to be disturbed by this. What we do is cleaning and arranging public places. These works will also continue,” Arter said.
Stating that the restoration of Bilal Ağa Masjid in Maraş is continuing, Arter announced that the mosque will be opened for worship after the restoration.
Arter stated that they received sufficient support in the opening process of Maraş from Turkey and noted that TOKİ had a great contribution in terms of technical and personnel, especially in the beginning.
Reminding that Konya Metropolitan Municipality and Famagusta Municipality are “sister cities”, Arter said that they have cooperation both in the opening process of Maraş and in other issues.
Arter said, “Our work will continue without stopping. I hope it will be beneficial for both the TRNC and Cyprus.”
ERDOĞAN VISITED THE REGION
Visiting the island on November 15, 2020 on the occasion of the 37th anniversary of the establishment of the TRNC, President of Turkey Recep Tayyip Erdoğan also visited the Covered Maraş region.
Making statements after his examinations in the region, President Erdoğan used the following statements:
“After seeing the Closed Maras region, I wonder why this Closed Maras region, as South and North, with all its beauty, has been kept away from the people of these places, kept closed, which is thought-provoking. By this means, the goods here are almost, somehow, by paying the price of all of them, once these places find their owners, and after they find their owners, this matter is resolved.”
Erdoğan was accompanied by President Ersin Tatar and his accompanying delegation during his visit.
OPENING OF MARAS
At the Council of Ministers meeting on 18 June 2019 in the TRNC, it was decided to take steps to open Maraş, which has been closed since 1974, and to conduct a scientific inventory study with an expert team.
Kudret Özersay, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs at the time, also participated in the first inventory study in the region in July 2019, and President Tatar, who was the prime minister at the time, also made investigations in the region.
With the participation of Vice President Fuat Oktay, the Union of Turkish Bar Associations (TBB) held a “Marash Opening Meeting with Legal, Political and Economic Aspects” in Maraş on February 15, 2020.
A part of the public Democracy Street and the beach part of Closed Maraş, within the borders of the TRNC, was opened on October 8, 2020.
With the return of its former residents to their properties in the region in the future, it is aimed to open all of Maraş, which has been closed for 46 years, under Turkish rule and to bring it back to humanity.
https://cypriumnews.com/2021/06/09/tatar-the-closed-maras-opening-is-exciting/
