Erdoğan unveils plans for southern Türkiye's development

MERSIN

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has announced his intentions to advance regional development in Türkiye's south following the construction of the country's inaugural nuclear power plant in Mersin.

Addressing a rally in the city ahead of local elections slated for March 31, Erdoğan announced plans for the full commissioning of all reactors at the Akkuyu power plant by 2028. The construction of the plant is overseen by Russia's state atomic energy company, Rosatom.

Erdoğan outlined the government's investments in Mersin, totaling over 210 billion Turkish Liras. The investments include the establishment of 49 health facilities, the distribution of 4,925 houses to beneficiaries through the state mass housing agency TOKİ and ongoing construction efforts for an additional 2,251 houses.

Moreover, Erdoğan detailed transportation infrastructure improvements, citing an expansion of divided roads to a combined length of 573 kilometers. The president also highlighted ongoing efforts to construct a high-speed train line connecting Mersin to nearby provinces such as Adana, Osmaniye and Antep.

"Mersin is not only one of the demographically richest cities in our country but also continues to attract immigrants," Erdoğan said, emphasizing the city's untapped potential as "Türkiye's paradise city."

In a critique aimed at the main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) administration, which currently governs Mersin, Erdoğan accused them of lacking vision and failing to deliver tangible projects.

"They don't even have the intention to meet Mersin's expectations," he said. "The opposition that deals with itself exists only in my country."

Erdoğan further argued that apart from investments made by ministries, little progress has been made in Mersin. "Aren't you going to hold Mersin accountable for falling behind?" he remarked.

Erdoğan's ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) has opted not to field candidates in Mersin, one of seven cities where this strategic decision has been made, signaling support for its alliance partner Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) and its candidates. The other metropolitan city following a similar pattern is Manisa.

The non-metropolitan provinces in focus – Erzincan, Bartın, Kars, Kırklareli, and Osmaniye – mirror the strategic alliance forged during the 2019 elections.

With a focus on 30 metropolitan cities, the AKP will secure support in the remaining 28, including crucial battlegrounds like Istanbul and the capital Ankara. In the 2019 elections, the MHP secured Manisa, while Mersin favored the CHP candidate.