The Metropolitan Mayors of Mersin and Adana were guests of the joint private broadcast of SUN RTV, Kanal 33, KOZA TV and TV A. The moderators of the live broadcast program held in front of the 'Cleopatra Gate', one of the historical buildings of Tarsus, were Koza TV Editor-in-Chief Necmi Uçar, while Mersin Metropolitan Municipality Mayor Vahap Seçer and Adana Metropolitan Mayor Zeydan Karalar, SUN RTV's Semir Bolat and Ahmet 33 from Kanal XNUMX. Özdemir's questions answered. President Seçer and President Karalar made statements on important issues such as the joint work carried out and can be carried out by the two cities together, the services offered in the pandemic, the projects implemented for the development of agriculture and animal husbandry, the Mersin metro and Çukurova Airport.
Two Presidents spoke about Tarsus
President Seçer and President Karalar made important statements regarding the history of Tarsus in front of the Cleopatra Gate where they met for publication. Stating that Tarsus, which has hosted many civilizations, is a place with historical and cultural background, President Seçer said, “Every point of Tarsus is a history”. Mayor Karalar said, “If these places are in a city of Europe, they would spend billions of lira and provide extraordinary tourist transfer. These have been forgotten, but now all of these beauties will come out thanks to our Mr. President ”.
Seçer: "After life is normalized, we will undertake many joint activities"
President Seçer said that it is possible to cooperate in the region, but that many activities were restricted with the pandemic process one year after he took office. Emphasizing that Mersin and Adana have many common points such as socio-economic structure, demographic, artistic, cultural and historical areas, Seçer said, “Provinces are separated from each other and borders are set on paper. Each of us has a mandate and responsibility, but actually we are partners. In other words, we are partnering in every field ”. Stating that joint projects can be realized especially in the cultural and artistic field, Seçer said, “We can include not only Adana but also Hatay. I think there are areas where we can collaborate on many issues and our related units are already doing these studies. He said that after life is normalized, we will undertake many joint activities and activities.
"There were people who didn't like a bowl of hot soup or a bowl of food we gave."
Stating that the projections set out after the March 31 elections naturally contradict the current projects due to pandemic conditions and the priority of investments has changed, Seçer said:
“Your prioritization of social policies has become more rational and correct that I follow Zeydan President with appreciation in this regard, he has done very important work in Adana. Many mayors from Hatay to Antalya and Istanbul have made lectures and studies on social municipalism. We have fulfilled these in humble way in Mersin, in our region, in our own area of responsibility. We also received criticism from time to time. Some people did not like a bowl of hot soup or a bowl of food we gave. But there is something I always say. Tok, open it does not understand. But those who understood also understood, He who prayed to us. The road, subway, or building you will build from time to time may have no value. First of all, it is human life that matters. The subject we will focus on now will be to ensure that our citizens pass this process in the healthiest way, with the least damage and the least sorrow. "
"We can also handle these"
The two mayors also touched on the financial situation of the municipalities they govern. Mayor Seçer, stating that they have reduced the debt stock of Mersin Metropolitan Municipality by 22/3 in the 1 months since the day he took office, and that they continue their services in this process, “We have 3 income items. We have the share of the general budget revenues, the Iller Bank share and our own revenues. Our compulsory payments are naturally the wages, salaries and some other compulsory payments and assignments you will pay to your employees, employees from the bank installments. In fact, we do not have a number that will turn this wheel, where we can make huge, generous investments or make unaccounted investments, but we will also get under them ”.
Mayor Seçer, who stated that Adana is a strong city, but that the destruction of Adana Metropolitan Municipality is very high, according to the new data of TURKSTAT, Adana's gross domestic product is approximately 82 billion liras and Mersin is 79 billion liras. he said he got a share.
Thanks to Mayor Seçer from Karalar on behalf of summer residents
Mayor Karalar stated that in Tömük-Kargıpınarı region, where he bought his summer residence in Mersin in 1998, with the management of President Seçer, solutions were made and studies were carried out, saying, “Can you imagine there is no treatment on the beach? What about this beautiful sea, where is this beautiful beach? You cannot enter the sea, but Vahap Bey immediately solved the infrastructure, the project was prepared and tendered. Now this saves the whole beach. Drinking water is being made now. Drinking water and infrastructure. Who touched it? Vahap Bey is taking his hand. Look at the summer houses of Mersin, half of them are from Adanalı. In addition, I would like to thank my citizens here for providing a valuable service ”.
Stating that many people in Adana spend their summer months in Mersin, Mayor Seçer said that there is a problem of clean drinking water, sewage and treatment, especially in the Tömük-Kargıpınarı area, that the Metropolitan produces clean drinking water by its own means and will be terminated in a very short time. Seçer said, “For the real sewage and treatment problem, officials came within the scope of FRIT 2 in recent weeks. Both AFD, European Union representative and Iller Bank representative came. A grant of 12 million Euros. Everything is ok in principle, the procedure is working, it took some time. We are going to tender for him in a very short time and we will eliminate that problem there in the near future. There is a very dense population, it poses a great threat to environmental health and human health, we need to solve it ”.
Stating that the highway connection between Adana-Mersin road ends in Çeşmeli, President Seçer said that in addition to the government's work, the Metropolitan has a study parallel to the existing D-400, between the alternative Çeşmeli-Mezitli. Seçer said, “I hope that in a very short time, especially in the summer months, that crisis in the evening returns will disappear. Currently, we are working on the 4th Ring Road in the center. It's a 1,5-kilometer run. "We will reach the west end point of Mersin center approximately."
"Mersin has an important agricultural potential"
Speaking about the important projects implemented within the scope of the Tümşehir Law in Çukurova, the cradle of agriculture, Mayor Seçer emphasized that President Karalar used a very important word in his speech and said, "We distributed strawberry seedlings, now there has been a reverse migration in those regions." Actually, this is the magic phrase. To feed people where they were born. "To prevent immigration to the city." Stating that Mersin has an important agricultural potential, Seçer continued as follows:
“Adana and Antalya are the same, but the difference between Adana and Mersin is this: In Adana, field agriculture is more common. Corn production, soybean production, industrial plants, cotton production, fruit growing, citrus gardens to be sure. When you look at Mersin, you will see products with higher added value. Greenhouse vegetable and fruit growing are very common. Anamur banana and strawberry are very valuable. Mut's apricot, plum. Our largest agricultural lands are in Tarsus. Both field agriculture and vegetable agriculture, horticultural agriculture, greenhouse agriculture, viticulture. Our Tarsus white has now transformed. It has turned into more modern varieties, more suitable for European markets, but you can see all kinds of products. We have 11 billion lira gross product from agriculture. This is an area of 16 thousand square kilometers and we have 340 thousand hectares of land to be processed. We cannot manage this. This task belongs to the Ministry of Agriculture. They will make the agricultural policies in the macro field. But, as Zeydan President has just mentioned, we paid attention to people, especially those who suffer from unemployment, small family businesses, poor people, and women's cooperatives, especially women. They do very valuable work. We are very supportive, they have made very important improvements. "
Mayor Karalar spoke about Metro: "Bad example, no example"
Reminding that criticisms were made about the Mersin metro project by showing the Adana metro as an example, Mayor Karalar said that the Adana metro was missing at the route point. Karalar made the following statements:
“Unfortunately, our subway is also thought to be completed, but it was incomplete because it was not completed. There is a shortage of routes such as not going to the hospital, not going to the airport, not going to the bus station, or going to the courthouse. If it could be completed, maybe it would be something complete. Our subway carries 25 thousand people. However, less than 150 thousand is not very feasible. We worked on the 2nd line. Of course, the airport is a separate place, but we built a line to hospitals, Balcalı, City Hospital, courthouse and stadium. We submitted a project to do it, so that it should be included in the investment program, but our President did not approve it. We are working. I hope we will explain our problem in the near future. I hope it will be confirmed. It must be done. Therefore, whether it is done or not in Mersin; There is a saying of our ancestors saying 'you know this example, not an example'. Ours is a bad example. Bad example, not an example. Vahap Bey worked. This is a courage to invest 300 million dollars, 300 million euros. Very serious money according to our income. The encouragement of a mayor to bring it to the agenda is very admirable for the city. It is really a great success to have it designed in one year, taken into consideration for the investment program, signed and brought to this point. Those issues are never discussed. Metro is essential, it is the main item of public transportation in metropolises, it should be built.
"The Commission is currently looking at the result of the tender"
Stating that the Mersin metro project was brought to the agenda as a light rail system during the period of Macit Özcan, the former Mayor of Mersin Metropolitan Municipality, and that its projects were being worked on in the previous period, Mayor Seçer said, “This thing happened with the initiative of ours and the appreciation of the President, about 7 months after we arrived. At that time, our deputy was included in the investment program with the efforts and contributions of our Minister Lütfi Elvan. Why did I tell you this? Here's what Mr. Zeydan Karalar says, he says he can't take it. Currently Mr. Ekrem İmamoğlu also has the same problem. Of course, the first step is to take the investment program. We made the tender last Thursday. We had pre-qualified before. Now the companies have come out, they have given their offers. At the moment, of course, the procedure continues, I will not make a statement. There were strong companies. We will announce the result in the coming days. Of course, we look at our account, our book. The Commission is currently looking at the results of the tender,” he said.
"You bring a rent to the city by metro"
Stating that the subway does not bring income only by carrying passengers, it brings a profit to the city, Seçer said, “We have 11 stations in the first place. That is the important income environment. You go underground, there are galleries, there are parking lots, there are advertising channels, so we have very different income items. More than anything, a metrocity is a megacity. Mersin will grow, Mersin will rise. Who will do it if I don't establish the Mersin of tomorrow now? His London, Paris, Tokyo have done this, he thought 150 years ago, he traveled 150 kilometers, 200 kilometers. You will build a 13.4 kilometer rail system in Mersin, and you will have hell. As if doing a huge project. Not! I look very differently. "Maybe it may not be necessary for people at the moment, but I think they will pray to us a lot in 10 years."
"Macro projects should be considered regionally"
Speaking about Çukurova Regional Airport, which is under construction in Mersin, Mayor Karalar emphasized that Mersin and Adana are two sister cities, and said that Çukurova Airport has an international character and will provide a serious profit to both Adana and Mersin.
Underlining that there is a distance of approximately 20 kilometers between Adana Airport and the airport built in Mersin, President Seçer said:
“We are talking about an airport that will improve tourism, trade, social life and cultural life enormously. Of course, I take refuge in the pardon of our fellow citizens of Adana, maybe the borders separate us from each other, but this airport is the common airport of Adana and Mersin. It is within our limits. Now we are using Adana Airport. Thank God there is Adana Airport. Otherwise, how would we transport by air? There is also this; that is, macro projects should be considered regionally. Not only Adana, that is, Osmaniye, Hatay and Gaziantep should be taken as a whole. So you prevent much more waste of resources, it becomes much more rational. It is much more effective. You should not be too emotional here. More regional, macro projects should be done by the central government. I support this understanding. We, as municipalities, just discussed many things. For example Adana, Mersin, Hatay. Antalya or other more eastern municipalities. When we do the projects we will collaborate together, you move faster, you use less resources, it becomes more effective. "
"I support the construction of the second port in Mersin"
Stating that a second port should be built in Mersin, Mayor Seçer said, “Our Mersin second port projection has already been done, the location has been determined, its study has been done, everything has been prepared. I am for the construction of the second port. Look, the more you integrate the world here by sea, by air, by road, the closer you get Adana and Mersin, the more you will develop. Therefore, both the airport, the sea port and the road routes. For example, it is important that the old E-5 intersects with Tarsus. The one that connects east to west and north to south. Now this highway and D-400 is a very important route. Here is the place where transit trade is most intense. Products from all over the world come here or come to Yumurtalık Port, from here you have the opportunity to export to Arab countries or to transit trade all over the Middle East ”.
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