TR

Higher Coordination Council meeting convenes under the leadership of President Ersin Tatar

President Ersin Tatar chaired the Higher Coordination Council meeting where discussions were held with regards to the wildfire last month at the Ardahan, Topçuköy, Mersinlik and Tatlısu areas.

The wildfire, which lasted for four days, gutted 20,000 dounums of forest land, following an extraordinary national and international effort to extinguish it.

Discussions at the Council meeting focused on how the wildfire had been handled  and the additional measures that can be taken to prevent future wildfires and the relevent legislation was also discussed.

With regards to the firefighting helicopter and specially equipped military helicopter deployed in the TRNC which is stationed in the country as a result of President Tatar's initiatives with the authorities of the Motherland Türkiye,  views were exchanged on how the relevant units could have a more active, coordinated and efficient working mechanism.  President Tatar shared his thoughts on the steps to be taken to replenish the forest under a reforestation programme.

The President also demanded that the map, which details fire hazard severity zones, be updated accordingly and he underlined on the need for a detailed report to be prepared immediately on the action plan regarding the rehabilitation of the areas affected by the fire.

Furthermore, the latest political developments were also discussed at the meeting.

Also attending the meeting were Prime Minister Ünal Üstel, Republic of Türkiye Ambassador to Lefkoşa Ali Murat Başçeri, Commander of the Cyprus Turkish Peace Forces Major General Sezai Öztürk, Security Forces Commander Major General Zorlu Topaloğlu, Minister of Foreign Affairs Tahsin Ertuğruloğlu, Chief of Police Ahmet Soyalan, Civil Defence Organisation Director Atilla Karaca, Prime Ministry Undersecretary Hüseyin Amcaoğlu, Director of the Presidency Assist. Prof. Dr. Serkan İlseven, Special Representative of the President Ergün Olgun, senior bureaucrats and Presidential Lawyer Ziba Akkurt.