The historical Uzunköprü, which gave its name to the district in Edirne, maintains its importance as the longest historical stone bridge in the world. The 2-meter-long historical bridge, built between 1427 and 1443 during the reign of Ottoman Sultan Murat II, has been repaired many times. The last of these restoration works started in 270. As part of the work carried out by the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure, the bridge was closed to traffic in 2021. Adil Karaismailoğlu, the then Minister of Transport and Infrastructure, informed on December 2021, 2015 about the restoration works on the bridge, which is a registered cultural asset and was included in the UNESCO World Cultural Heritage Tentative List in 1, and said that "they envisage the restoration works to be completed in May 2022." told. However, the date given by former Minister Karaismailoğlu and the date envisaged for the completion of the works in the 2024 Investment Program published by the Presidency did not match. In the said program, 2024 was pointed out as the completion year of the project. The total cost of the project reached 2027 million 255 thousand lira. In the 900 Investment Program, the completion of the project was foreseen in 2023, and the total cost was 2026 million 172 thousand lira.
'LASTIC FORESIGHT OF THE GOVERNMENT'
CHP Edirne Deputy Ahmet Baran Yazgan brought the ongoing works in Uzunköprü to the agenda of the Parliament. Yazgan pointed out that the authorities announced different dates for the completion of the restoration works, and pointed out that there was a 48 percent increase in the total cost in one year. Yazgan said: “Historical Uzunköprü is one of the important symbols of Edirne. Restoration work has been ongoing for more than 2 years. However, representatives of the government do not provide sufficient information to the public on this issue, as in every business. Former Minister Adil Karaismailoğlu announced that the works would be completed in May 2024, but no satisfactory information about the works has been shared since then. So we brought the issue to the Parliament. Historical and cultural assets belong to all of us. We see that those who say 'We are the grandchildren of the Ottomans' at every opportunity do not give due importance to the historical Uzunköprü, which has survived from the Ottoman Empire to the present day. Another issue that stands before us is the increase in the cost of the work every year. "The fact that the projected cost increases every year shows the government's shortsightedness."
'WHAT IS THE COST OF DELAY?'
CHP's Yazgan also asked the following questions to the Minister of Transport and Infrastructure Abdulkadir Uraloğlu:
“When are the restoration works in the historical Uzunköprü expected to be completed? What is the reason for giving different dates for the completion of the restoration project? What was the cost of the delays in the project?
