A significant new investment in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) has officially begun with the groundbreaking ceremony for the construction of a cloverleaf interchange at the connection point of the Lefkoşa Northern Ring Road and the Lefkoşa-Girne Main Road.

The ceremony was attended by state and government officials, including Türkiye’s Minister of Transport and Infrastructure, Abdulkadir Uraloğlu.

During the event, President Ersin Tatar emphasized the importance of such investments in strengthening the economic, social, and political structure of the TRNC.

The Turkish Minister Uraloğlu echoed these sentiments, stating that Türkiye has always played its part in ensuring peace, prosperity, and security in the TRNC and will continue to do so.

The Lefkoşa Northern Ring Road project, expected to be completed in April, aims to significantly alleviate traffic congestion at the Gönyeli Roundabout.

The Minister of Public Works and Transportation Erhan Arıklı,  stated that the road would ease traffic not only in the capital, Lefkoşa, but also across the entire country, from east to west.

He recalled that 11 kilometers of the road were completed in 2020, but the remaining 4 kilometers were delayed due to expropriation issues, which have now been resolved with the support of the Turkish Embassy in Lefkoşa and the KEİ office.

Minister Arıklı praised Türkiye’s unwavering support in developing the TRNC’s infrastructure, stating, “Türkiye has always stood by us in every matter, and it is no different in expanding and improving the TRNC’s infrastructure.”

His Turkish counterpart Minister Abdulkadir Uraloğlu for his part highlighted that the Lefkoşa Northern Ring Road was a vital investment that will further strengthen the TRNC’s road network.

He noted that under the leadership of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, the Republic of Türkiye is committed to the comprehensive development and strengthening of the TRNC, aligned with the goal of achieving a comprehensive solution on the island of Cyprus.

Uraloğlu also pointed out that the road project, starting from Alayköy Junction and extending to the Haspolat Roundabout in the east of the city, will connect to the Girne Mountain Pass.

The road, with a platform width of 23 meters, will feature two modern roundabouts and a 48-meter-span overpass at the Girne Interchange, designed to ensure uninterrupted connections between two major highways in the TRNC.

Speaking next Prime Minister Ünal Üstel stated that since taking office, the government has committed to undertaking large projects needed by the public and completing unfinished ones.

He noted the importance of the collaboration with the Republic of Türkiye to complete projects that have been delayed since 2012 due to short and unstable governments.

Üstel highlighted the successful completion of the Güzelyurt-Lefke road, followed by the western and eastern roads, and the İskele-Karpaz roads.

The Prime Minister also recalled the opening of the new Ercan Airport and emphasized the need for such major projects to meet the country’s needs.

Prime Minister Üstel added that the completion of the newly launched road would eliminate the congestion at the Gönyeli junction, significantly reducing daily traffic jams in Lefkoşa’s main arteries.

“We will continue to sign new projects in 2024-2025 with the high-level protocols we have signed with Türkiye. In this regard, I thank Türkiye for its support,” he concluded.

Speaker of the Republic’s Assembly, Zorlu Töre, underscored that the TRNC, as a young state, has been moving forward for 41 years.

He highlighted that Türkiye’s support goes beyond ensuring security and freedom, as it also includes developing the infrastructure.

President Ersin Tatar emphasized the significance of such investments in strengthening the economic, social, and political structure of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC). He stated, “These kinds of investments give us courage and provide hope to the people.” President Tatar mentioned that the project is expected to be completed within six months.

He further elaborated on the importance of these investments for the TRNC’s development, expressing gratitude to Türkiye’s President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, Vice President Cevdet Yılmaz, KEİ Office Coordinator Erol Öz, and former Turkish Ambassador Metin Feyzioğlu, as well as the new Ambassador Yasin Ekrem Serim, for their support.

“The status of the TRNC in the Eastern Mediterranean is rising every day,” he added, highlighting that such investments inspire courage in them and provide hope to the people, wishing the best for the success of the cloverleaf interchange.

The new road, designed to be 4.6km long and 23 meters wide, will feature four modern roundabouts and one grade-separated junction, significantly enhancing the region’s traffic flow and connectivity.