President Özçelik’s call to tradesmen: “Get your license”

Alanya Mayor Osman Tarık Özçelik emphasized that there will be no unlicensed businesses left in Alanya, stating, “We see that some people evaluate our license inspections as ‘tightening the tradespeople’. We have issued the final warning to 9 businesses for not obtaining their licenses. As a municipality, we have not closed a single business due to lack of a license so far. We only ask them to please come and get their licenses.”

After the Weekly Regular Council Meeting, Mayor Özçelik met with members of the press. He stated that they will implement many projects to revitalize winter and sports tourism in Alanya starting next year, saying, “We plan to bring between 15,000 to over 20,000 athletes to Alanya in 2025 and 2026. Next summer, we will hold the European Volleyball and Handball Championships in Alanya. This has not been done for a long time. In the coming period, we will accelerate and turn Alanya into a place where athletes can walk down these streets, train in the mountainous areas, and football teams can practice. Our friends have already started working on the regions. You can turn something you started and are trying to do today into fruit in 6-8 months, a year, or a year and a half. It has been 4 months since we came, but we have started planning. The fastest among these was Gökbel. We think we have provided satisfaction there. We will do better next year, and we believe in it.”

“Our scholarship support will continue”

Mayor Özçelik noted that the scholarships given to students who pass the university entrance exam will continue, stating, “We provide support to students who will register for the university for the first time in terms of scholarships. We continue the program for the municipality to support students. After the university exams, our students made their preferences, and the registration period is starting. This year, our scholarship support will continue for students residing in Alanya who are in need. In 2022, the Alanya Municipality provided 2,000 lira for students in 4-year degree programs and 1,500 lira for students in 2-year associate degree programs. In 2023, this amount was arranged to be 7,000 lira and 5,000 lira. In the next council meeting, we will decide how much scholarship we will give this year.”

“We have made final warnings to 9 businesses”

Speaking about license inspections for businesses, Mayor Osman Tarık Özçelik stated that license inspections continue and made the following statements:
“We see that some people evaluate our license inspections as ‘tightening the tradespeople’. We have issued the final warning to 9 businesses for not obtaining their licenses. We have visited all 9 of these businesses three times. We have left a notice saying to obtain your license. They have not come three times and have not applied. As a municipality, we have not closed a single business due to lack of a license so far. We only ask them to please come and get their licenses.”

“The number of unlicensed tradespeople has decreased from 40% to 27%”

Mayor Özçelik stated that they have examined a total of 5,879 businesses for licenses since he took office. Özçelik said, “As a result of these inspections, we learned that approximately 40% of our businesses were unlicensed according to our initial findings. This was a very high rate. As of today, this rate has decreased to 29%. This means that 11% have come in, and some unlicensed businesses have obtained licenses. If you notice, the number of those who obtained documents from us for obtaining a license and those who applied saying ‘give me my license’ is reducing this rate to 27%. We can accept that the current number of unlicensed businesses in Alanya is 27%. Of course, this rate is not acceptable either. We want our tradespeople to obtain licenses. What crime did those who obtained licenses commit at that time? There should be no unfair competition. Those who have a license and those who do not should not be treated the same.”

“A new historical area has been discovered”

Mayor Özçelik explained that studies regarding the Naula Ancient City in Mahmutlar Neighborhood are continuing at full speed, saying, “We are conducting a serious cleaning operation regarding our historical area. When the cleaning of that area is completed, we will start excavation works in cooperation with the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, along with the Museum Directorate, within the framework of the protocol we signed for the environmental arrangement and project construction. In fact, our own personnel discovered an area that had never been opened or found. We have also reported it to the Museum Directorate. Security measures have been taken there through the gendarmerie. They have also started the registration process there now.”

Statement regarding the New Ring Road

Mayor Özçelik provided information about the Alanya New Ring Road, stating that they have fulfilled their responsibilities. Özçelik continued:
“The Alanya Ring Road project, where road construction is taking place, has largely completed the responsibilities assigned to the Alanya Municipality. The tunnel at the borders of Oba and Tosmur Neighborhoods is nearing completion. The section after the tunnel within the borders of Kestel Neighborhood has been expropriated by the Highways, and the zoning plans for the connection roads are being drawn, which I personally inspected on-site. We are continuing work there. Expropriation has just been completed. The area in the route within the borders of Mahmutlar Neighborhood after Kestel Neighborhood has previously been divided into 5 regulation areas. The processes for the first three of these regulation areas have been completed. One is in the registration phase. The remaining last region’s application works, that is, planning works are ongoing. So fundamentally, there is no problem. The procedural part of the work is ongoing. As a result, a significant portion of the tasks assigned to the Alanya Municipality under the protocol made with the 13th Regional Directorate of Highways has been completed, and the remaining parts will be completed as soon as possible. The remaining work and processes must be sustained for the continuity of the project, that is, for us to continue, is to complete the tunnel construction, which is the most costly and time-consuming part of the project, as soon as possible.”

“The button has been pressed for the new treatment plant”

Responding to questions from the press at the meeting, Mayor Özçelik stated, “A protocol needed to be made between Antalya Metropolitan Municipality and Alanya Municipality for the renewal of the treatment plant. In the previous period, when the Metropolitan Municipality said, ‘assign me the parcels I want, and we will build the treatment plant here,’ Alanya Municipality did not allocate these parcels. Now we are in talks with the Metropolitan Municipality. We have made significant progress. If it is destined, it will be started and completed within my term as mayor. Alanya Municipality and the Metropolitan Municipality have started working for the construction of the new treatment plant. Our friends are currently doing technical studies. In our Council Meeting in September, we will request approval and start the process. By 2028, Alanya will have a new treatment system that produces no waste or odor. The Metropolitan Municipality is going out to tender for a revision that will cover the 3-4 years during which this construction will take place. Before the New Year or the repair, renovation, and revision project will be completed, and a healthy treatment plant will operate within 2025. But this is for a period of 3-4 years, during which new treatment constructions will also start next door. After January-February 2025, we will no longer talk about the central treatment of Alanya.”

“The removal of the booth is entirely related to public order”

In response to a reporter’s question about the orange booths, Mayor Özçelik replied:
“Regarding the mentioned places, our political friends from the past made statements saying, ‘the poor, the sick, those who provide tea and coffee at martyr funerals.’ The poor does not sell and buy the booth four times based on a political connection. The poor comes and runs his business decently and earns his money. But he does not transfer it to others four times nor tries to. The gendarmerie has gone there 21 times to maintain peace. Generally, they have gone there between midnight and 3 AM. If the gendarmerie goes to a place 21 times, what is there? This means there will be gunfire there in the evening or the morning. I will do my best to ensure that gunfire does not happen in Alanya. When I first arrived, I had the unlicensed booths identified, and these two booths were among them. We had said that all unlicensed booths will be removed. However, we told them, ‘we have entered the season, you have bought your goods, sell your goods, but we will remove you from here on November 1.’ Those people already knew they would be removed on November 1. These people would have been removed on November 1, but if there is a fight in one place 21 times, there will be gunfire in the evening and morning. Then they would ask why Alanya Municipality did not remove that unlicensed place. There were 11 booths, now 2 have been removed, and 9 remain. It has been transferred under contract to five people, and there is a signature as a witness. The removal of the booth is entirely related to public order.