A strange statement from Murat Kurum: 'We have turned the earthquake zone into the world's largest construction site'

Minister of Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change Murat Kurum attended the Honorary Citizenship Presentation Ceremony held within the scope of the 10th Malatya Anatolian Book and Culture Fair.

Expressing his honor to meet with the sincere and warm people of Malatya following the earthquakes, Kurum said:

"We are experiencing the pride, excitement, and happiness of receiving the certificate of honorary citizenship from our Malatya brothers and sisters, and of being a fellow citizen of Battal Gazi and our late President Turgut Özal, together with you. I would like to thank all my Malatya brothers and sisters, the Metropolitan Municipality Council, our council members, and my esteemed Metropolitan Mayor who deemed us worthy of this honor. I would like to express here that I will continue this struggle shoulder to shoulder with them until the end as their fellow citizen, brother, and companion."

Stating that Malatya has always embraced AKP Chairman and President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, Kurum noted that Malatya has always been a confidant for them.

Expressing that he sees the people of Malatya as brothers, Minister Kurum continued:

"Following the earthquake, we worked within 90 days with an approach that is perhaps unparalleled in the world, and we started the construction of 180 thousand residences. We are working with the same understanding to fulfill every promise we made to our citizens that day. Today, we have together turned the earthquake zone into the world's largest construction site. 1900 construction sites—it is easy to say, but we are working with all our might together with 160 thousand laborers, workers, architects, and engineers at 1900 construction sites."

Stating that he has come to Malatya for the 4th time since July and that life is gradually returning to normal in the city with each visit, Kurum noted that the book fair held is the best example of this.

Minister Kurum said the following:

"On one hand, we will carry out these social activities. On the other hand, we will continue to carry out construction activities rapidly. We are building the residences we promised to our fellow citizens in Malatya, and as of today, we have delivered 130 thousand 565 residences and workplaces to our earthquake-affected brothers and sisters who are entitled to them in 11 provinces, including 17 thousand 438 in Malatya. To date, we have tendered 350 thousand independent units, including 331 thousand residences and 19 thousand workplaces, and have started construction activities in the field. Hopefully, by the end of 2024, we will have delivered 201 thousand 688 independent units to our disaster-affected brothers and sisters and fellow citizens in our eleven provinces, including 27 thousand 243 in Malatya. Hopefully, when 2025 arrives, just as we did before in Kale, just as we did before in Battalgazi, just as we did in the streets of Doğanyol, and like the residences in Pütürge, we will have built a total of 79 thousand 702 residences and workplaces in our Malatya, and 453 thousand independent units in the earthquake zone."

"WE WILL NOT LEAVE ANY PROBLEM UNRESOLVED"

Explaining that they are building a solid and strong Malatya after ground improvement works, Minister Kurum stated that they are striving to revitalize the city's cultural, historical, and economic life.

Stating that they will raise the cities in the earthquake zone in a way worthy of their nobility, Kurum included the following statements:

"While reconstructing the city, we will never, ever move away from the understanding of also prospering hearts. We will listen to whatever our citizens tell us. We will take their demands together. If there is something we can do, we will carry out the process with the initiative to do it immediately. If we cannot, we will explain the reason to our citizens in detail. We will not get tired, we will not get bored. We will not leave any problem unresolved. We will not pull our hands from the hands of our earthquake-affected brothers and sisters for a moment. We are here until our mothers, fathers, and children sit in joy in all our new homes, until our children sleep safely in their homes, until our bountiful shops open with 'Bismillah', and until the call to prayer rises from the Söğütlü Mosque."

Minister Kurum stated that Israel is killing innocent civilians in Gaza.

"FIGHTING TERRORISM AT EVERY POSITION IS DIFFERENT"

Saying that all parties and the nation should be in unity, Minister Kurum stated that issues concerning Turkey should be viewed from a supra-political perspective.

Kurum concluded his words as follows:

"They should be unifying, not divisive, and keep law and justice above everything else. It is essential that we underline this with thick lines. The historical window of opportunity we have opened to strengthen our brotherhood is one thing. Fighting terrorism at every position is another. Turkey is determined, resolute, and steadfast to both take the bravest steps for our brotherhood and to fight to the end against terrorism, those who support terrorism, those who get on top of a bus and threaten the judiciary, our independent judiciary, and those who try to undermine justice. We will also, hopefully, strengthen our unity and solidarity with an understanding that will overcome all problems."

News Source: AA