President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on Tuesday stressed the importance of the Canal Istanbul project, calling it a “world brand.”
“WE HAVE TIES OF AFFECTION”
Speaking at a public meeting in Istanbul, Erdoğan said the project would help avoid environmental disaster in the Turkish Straits. “Istanbul is no ordinary city. As we came in the force, we put the Marmaray rail system into being at once. Today, millions of citizens use the railroad. We made the Eurasia Tunnel. Mr. Kemal (Kılıçdaroğlu) I ask you, did you ever use it? I recommend it you to use. CHP supporters didn’t want it to be done. And now, we are bringing Canal Istanbul into being. CHP supporters don’t want it either. We have ties of affection with our people.” said President.
The 45-kilometer (nearly 28-mile) canal, to built-in Istanbul’s Kucukcekmece-Sazlidere-Durusu corridor, is to boast a capacity of 160 vessels a day and is scheduled to be completed by 2023, Turkey’s centennial.