Canaltay Hits Back at Arıklı Over Road Projects

“The more modest we are, the more Erhan Bey gets carried away. And the more carried away he gets, the more lies he lists,” Canaltay said.

Canaltay criticised Arıklı’s statements regarding investments in the road network, saying, “The more modest we remain, the more Erhan Bey ignores the past.”

In a social media post, Canaltay said Arıklı was mistaken if he thought he could get anywhere through “manipulation and lies.”

She said Arıklı had portrayed himself as “a minister who succeeded in doing what had not been done in 50 years,” adding, “Of course, if anyone believes that, I don’t know what to say.”

“Major Investments Were Made Together With Turkey”

Canaltay said major investments had been made in the ministry during her tenure and stressed that large-scale road projects had been carried out “only and exclusively together with the Republic of Turkey.”

She said dozens of expropriation problems had been resolved and connecting roads and junctions had been improved before Arıklı became minister, arguing that his statements ignored the work carried out previously.

“He tells it as if the Northern Ring Road did not exist at all... as if the Karpaz-Manastır Road project had not been completed, and as if no expropriation work had been carried out on the Kyrenia-Alsancak road,” Canaltay said.

“So he came along and did all of it himself, did he? I don’t know if anyone believes that,” she added, recalling the work carried out in previous periods.

“Only the Opening of the Güzelyurt-Lefke Road Took Place During His Term”

Canaltay said that only the opening of the Güzelyurt-Lefke Road, which had remained idle for 11 years, took place during Arıklı’s tenure.

“Even then, he did not give us the credit we deserved,” she said.

Canaltay said the Northern Ring Road was opened during her tenure after resolving problems that had remained unresolved for 12 years.

She also said projects that brought the Dipkarpaz-Erenköy area closer to the centre were completed during her tenure.

“As I said, the more modest we are, the more Erhan Bey gets carried away. And the more carried away he gets, the more lies he lists. There is no need to prolong this,” Canaltay said.

“He Is Taking Credit for Projects Funded by Turkey”

Canaltay accused Arıklı of taking credit for projects carried out with funding from the Republic of Turkey, saying this was disrespectful both to their own efforts and to those of the Republic of Turkey.

She said Arıklı had been “a little stressed” in recent days and attributed his remarks to this, adding that legal calls concerning various actions taken during his tenure as minister would naturally produce results.

“However, while it is not about me personally, I cannot remain silent in the face of an attempt to take over the efforts of both my party and the Republic of Turkey through the ‘cunning of a small-town politician,’” Canaltay said.