In Turkey, which is located on an earthquake belt, a new research center has begun its operations alongside AFAD and the Kandilli Observatory. The Marmara Active Fault Hazard and Risk Application and Research Center (MATAM), established within Istanbul Technical University, aims to measure the destructive impact of earthquakes on a square-meter basis by examining fault lines with advanced devices and sensors.
In this context, a significant contribution to the center came from former Fenerbahçe president Aziz Yıldırım. Yıldırım donated an "Earthquake Research Vessel" to the university.
Prof. Dr. Cenk Yaltırak explained the vessel's procurement process in a statement to T24:
"Our businesspeople couldn't manage to purchase a 350,000-dollar vessel. Only Aziz Yıldırım understood what we wanted to do during a half-hour meeting with him and was convinced. But he had one condition: 'I will never pay the VAT,' he said. Rather than asking others for the VAT, I spoke with my wife and she said 'okay.' I paid the 70,000 dollars (approximately 2 million 855 thousand TL) and the vessel was purchased."
News Source: 12punto
