Turkish gov’t designed bill to build tunnels for Erdoğan: CHP

ANKARA

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A top official of Turkey’s main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) has claimed that the government has prepared a bill to build underground tunnels for President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s residences in Istanbul and Ankara.

CHP Secretary General Gürsel Tekin pointed to an article of the omnibus bill that was debated at Turkey’s parliament in his statement to daily Sözcü on March 19.

According to Tekin, the article, which stipulates that citizens will no longer be paid compensation if the administration builds a tunnel passing under their property, has an ulterior motive.

“We have received information suggesting that the construction of a tunnel between Erdoğan’s residence in Istanbul and the nearby Çamlıca Mosque has already started. It will be a 3 km tunnel,” Tekin was quoted as saying.

He also said initial studies are being made for the construction of a tunnel between the new presidential palace in Ankara and the Etimesgut Military Airport, which is 15 km away.

“What routes will be chosen for these tunnels, for which they are trying to avoid paying expropriation? I warn citizens that their houses could be demolished,” Tekin said, claiming that his party’s headquarters could also be included in the route of the tunnel in Ankara.