Earthquake victims won’t pay for their new houses: CHP

ANKARA 

Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu, the chairman of the Republican People’s Party (CHP) and joint presidential candidate of the Nation Alliance, has said the new houses for earthquake victims will be handed over free of charge as it is a constitutional right.

“My rhetoric about free-of-charge houses is not a vow but an obligation and necessity. We will do it this way. Nobody will have to pay loans for 20 years,” Kılıçdaroğlu said in a video message late on April 1.

Some 650,000 houses collapsed in the 11 provinces that were severely hit by the twin earthquakes in early February. The current government has vowed to build new houses in one year with a special long-term loan for the earthquake victims.

Kılıçdaroğlu underlined the need for swift accomplishment of the construction of solid and low-rise houses for the victims so that life can be revived in the cities but stressed these new premises will be distributed free of charge to those impacted by the disaster.

“Articles 57 and 125 of the constitution are very clear. They say ‘The state is responsible for safe shelters,’” he said, underlining the state’s duty in authorizing the safety of the residential areas across the country. “The citizens are purchasing these properties upon the safety insurance provided by the state.”

“Thus, the state should compensate if it failed to fulfill its constitutional responsibility,” he added, stressing that Türkiye has enough sources to deliver these houses free of charge.

Kılıçdaroğlu informed that the CHP will introduce a new bill to the Parliament to this end which will outline the details of his party’s priorities regarding the earthquake-hit region and impacted people.

“Every problem has a solution, and we will surely resolve all of them,” he said.

In the meantime, the CHP leader has apologized for mistakenly stepping on a prayer rug with his shoes during a visit to Istanbul over the weekend. “I sincerely want to express my sorrow. It is out of the question for me to disrespect the holy symbols of this people,” he said, criticizing the ruling Justice and Development Party officials for exploiting this incident over religious sentiments.