Thousands protest real estate problems in Istanbul

ISTANBUL - Anatolia News Agency

Thousands of people staged a protest earlier today in Istanbul’s Esenyurt district against a housing company and Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality for “victimizing” them on property issues.

The group, called the “Victims of Esenyurt,” protested the municipality for halting construction on properties, as well as the company Fiyapı, which declared bankruptcy, leaving it unable to deliver houses to owners.

Land titles not obtained

“Thousands of victims’ problems must be immediately solved, these people paid their contract dues but they did not obtain a land title,” said Ömer Arıca, the group’s spokesman.

Main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) Istanbul deputy Ömer Hamzaçebi also slammed Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality and the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) for not offering a solution for thousands of people who bought many of the nearly 25,000 houses in question.

“We did not discuss whether to pass the issue onto the [metropolitan municipality’s] public works commission,” Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality press adviser Serkan Fıçıcı told the Hürriyet Daily News yesterday.

However, he said a solution would be found for the problem.