Dipkarpaz Municipality held an art festival and road race in the village square on Sunday.
President Mustafa Akıncı also attended the event.
Following a music concert by Kemal Deveci, the Mayor of Dipkarpaz Suphi Coşkun delivered a short speech. The Mayors said that they had been working towards making Dipkarpaz into a town, in full cooperation with the five other Mayors in the İskele region.
President of the Municipalities Union Ahmet Benli said that he had seen that the Dipkarpaz region was improving and blooming and congratulated the mayor and his team for their successful work.
Also addressing the event, the Minister of Agriculture and Natural Resources Nazım Çavuşoğlu said that there was a complaint that Karpaz was always treated like a destitute area, he stressed, however, that this was not true and that they always stood by the people of Karpaz.
There had been hard work on the construction of roads, for the development of the municipality and to build a university in the region, Minister Çavuşoğlu said. A university had opened in the region, however that had not achieved the desired outcome, he said.
Leader Republican Turkish Party (CTP), Tufan Erhürman said that Dipkarpaz had become the apple of the region’s eye and added that very good projects had been undertaken in the region.
President Mustafa Akıncı congratulated the Dipkarpaz Mayor and his team on the success of their work. He also expressed the hope that the festival will improve with every passing year.
Stating that he was against the urbanisation of the Dipkarpaz area, President Akıncı said the natural heritage of the region should be protected.
Stressing the need to protect the turtles and donkeys in the region, the President said “development does not mean random settlements it is only possible through protecting nature and all living creatures.”
The speeches were followed by a display of dancing. During the all-day event, locals sold their products at stands set up in the village square.
BRT