Cost of the 'Palace' in the TRNC rises to 4.5 billion liras: 'A shanty belonging to the British'
TOKİ has held another tender worth 2 billion TL for the palace it is building in the TRNC. Thus, the total cost of the palace will reach 4.5 billion TL.
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It has been announced that another tender has been held for the palace being built in the TRNC under the instructions of President and AKP Chairman Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.
According to İsmail Arı from BirGün, as reported in the Public Procurement Bulletin, the Housing Development Administration (TOKİ) held a tender on April 16, 2024, to complete the palace construction.
The tender, held under the title of "TRNC Presidential Palace, Republican Assembly, Interior Arrangement, Mosque Completion, and Construction of Parking and Social Facilities with Infrastructure and Landscaping Works," was awarded to the Siyahkalem Engineering Company for 1 billion 998 million TL.
The first tender for the palace was held on July 7, 2022. That tender was also awarded to the Siyahkalem Engineering Company for 2 billion 497 million TL.
Both tenders were conducted using the "bargaining" method regulated under the controversial Article 21/B of the Public Procurement Law. This procurement clause has long been interpreted as a "tailor-made tender."
WHAT DID ERDOĞAN SAY?
During his visit to Cyprus in 2021, Erdoğan said, "The Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus Presidency does not have a proper presidential building or complex, nor does it have a proper parliament building... We do not find this befitting of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus. Likewise, the building at the Presidential Complex is, as is known, a shanty belonging to the British; we do not find that befitting either."