Foreign residents to get free graves in southern Turkey

ISTANBUL

Hürriyet photo

Alanya Municipality in the southern province of Antalya has opened a 2,000-square-meter graveyard for foreign residents in the district to use free of charge.

"All foreign residents in Alanya will have a grave for free,” said the head of Alanya Municipality's Foreigners' Assembly, Abdullah Karaoğlu, adding that the municipality already provided free graves for local people.

There are approximately 30,000 foreign residents living in Alanya, and this service has a great importance for them, he told Anatolia news agency.

The step was taken as only two graves remained in the district's graveyard for foreigners.
 
A representative of the Russian-speaking community in Alanya, Anjelika Anzhela, expressed her community's appreciation for the recent service.
 
Antalya has the highest percentage of property under the ownership of foreigners anywhere in Turkey, according to December 2012 data provided by the Environment and Urban Planning Ministry.