Building of border posts go on: minister

ISTANBUL - Anatolia News Agency

Minister Bayraktar says there are some difficulties but they have not stepped back on building stronger border posts. ‘We are not building matchboxes’ he says. DHA photo

Ninety-eight of a total 243 modernized, stronger guardhouses have been built, as part of a government project under which TOKİ (Housing Development Administration) is building safer border posts, Minister of Environment and Urban Planning Erdoğan Bayraktar has said.

“[TOKİ has] experienced some difficulties due to the conditions but they have not stepped back the project,” Bayraktar told reporters today, responding to questions about the slow progress on the project, “We are not building matchboxes.”

TOKİ originally signed protocols with the Ministry of Defense and gendarmerie for the construction of 162 guardhouses, but the figure has now reached 243 due to new demand, Bayraktar said. Of those, 157 guardhouses are for the gendarmerie and remaining 85 are for the land forces.

Bayraktar refrained from stating whether some guardhouses that were recently attacked were among those built as part of the project. “The Chief of General Staff would know whether they are part of project,” Bayraktar said, adding, “Terrorists could not attack those 98 guardhouses, as they are very safe.”

CHP’s complaint

Republican People’s Party (CHP) Deputy Muharrem İnce had recently filed an official complaint with the Ankara Public Prosecutor’s Office against Bayraktar, claiming that he has not complied with his duties as minister. Bayraktar did not comment on this, but did state that he works hard.