The Minister of Public Works and Transportation Erhan Arıklı made statements regarding the tunnel project for the Beşparmaklar mountain range and direct flights on a television program he attended.

He said that the tunnel project had come to light many times in the past but only now efforts have been exerted to implement the project.

The Minister of Public Works and Transportation Erhan Arıklı referred to the important projects they have realized in the field of transportation with the contributions of Türkiye and stated that the issue of building a tunnel in the Beşparmak Mountains so as to make transportation between central mesarya and the northern coast easier and safer was discussed at the Council of Ministers.

“After discussions were completed Prime Minister Ünal Üstel gave instructions for work to be carried out for the project to be realized” said Arıklı.

Stating that two alternatives are being studied, one of them between Dikmen-Girne and the other between Değirmenlik-Arapköy, Arıklı said, “We are implementing the tunnel project in order to direct traffic on the Değirmenlik-Çatalköy Road, known as the Girne Mountain Road, in order to make travelling between the central mesarya region and our northern coasts safer. We are now at the final stage.”

He said that the cost of the 5km tunnel is estimated to be around $75-100m.

Also issuing a statement regarding direct flights, Minister Arıklı reminded that the new terminal and runway at Ercan Airport was inaugurated on July 20 and added that there main goal is to start direct flights to the country.

Arıklı said that the economic dimension of direct flights is more important than politics and that if the passenger potential is reached, direct flights can be made from any point in the world to Ercan Airport.

Explaining that they are focusing on two or three destinations, Arıklı said that they expect to get results on this issue in the near future.