Istanbul canal not on gov't agenda, minister says
ANKARA
The Turkish government currently has no plans to pursue the Kanal Istanbul project, the environment minister said on April 30, denying opposition claims that the works have already started in the city.
“There is no such issue on our agenda regarding Kanal Istanbul. Any attempt to stir up controversy will prove futile,” Murat Kurum told reporters ahead of a parliamentary group meeting of the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP).
Imprisoned Istanbul Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu earlier alleged that construction commenced on 24,000 housing units in anticipation of the Kanal Istanbul project.
Kurum clarified that the ongoing construction projects in the area were not related to the canal but rather part of a long-standing AKP campaign promise to provide social housing for low-income residents.
He also dismissed claims that these homes were being sold to people from Gulf countries.
“No houses have been sold to Arabs or to citizens of any foreign country. Every single home is being allocated to Turkish citizens who currently do not own property,” he said.
A separate statement by the Presidential Communications Directorate on April 18 also rejected the allegations.
The canal project, first announced in 2011, was envisioned as a large-scale infrastructure project to carve an artificial waterway between the Black Sea and the Marmara Sea on Istanbul’s European side. The project would have effectively turned the western part of the city into an island, separating Europe and Asia via a navigable channel. However, the initiative has since been shelved.
