Star Kıbrıs
Former Agriculture Minister Dayıoğlu, academic Tuncel and journalist Kar issued warnings about the nuclear power plant to be built in Turkey; Last week, the “SÖZ SİZDE” program, broadcast on ADA TV on Friday nights, discussed the nuclear power plant planned for Akkuyu, Mersin, Turkey, as well as the national agenda. The program, hosted by Erçin Şahmaran, featured journalist Cem Kar, academic Ediz Tuncel and former Agriculture Minister Sami Dayıoğlu. Speaking on the program, journalist Cem Kar warned about the nuclear power plant being considered for Turkey, saying, “Let’s first look at AKSA and the Teknecik Power Plant.”
Academic Ediz Tuncel also stressed the need for short-, medium- and long-term plans to address the problems, saying, “We will suffer the AKSA disaster for years.”
Former Agriculture Minister Sami Dayıoğlu said, “If Turkey is going to build a nuclear power plant, it won’t ask anyone.”
Here are the key points from the remarks made by journalist Cem Kar, academic Ediz Tuncel and former Agriculture Minister Sami Dayıoğlu: JOURNALIST KAR: “WHAT WE ARE EXPERIENCING IS THE RESULT OF YEARS OF NEGLECT” “Recently, we have seen the damage caused by heavy rainfall. Of course, there are deficiencies and mistakes in the infrastructure. But who is responsible for the garbage and filth that have spread everywhere? This is the filth of forty years. It is the result of what all of us have done: years of mismanagement, a failure to plan ahead, permits issued for construction in riverbeds, and pollution of the environment. We have talked about these things before. Who held anyone accountable? Who took precautions? This will happen again. We are experts at finding someone to blame. What we are experiencing is the result of years of neglect.”
“LET’S FIRST LOOK AT TEKNECİK AND AKSA”
“The nuclear power plant will have a negative impact on the entire region. We use the worst and most expensive methods to produce energy. The amount of toxic gases coming out of the chimneys is very high, and the Dikmen landfill incident is still fresh in our minds. This issue was not taken seriously for years. Suppose we went to the Turkish government and told them that we don’t want this plant and oppose it. I wonder what would change. This issue has come up before in other parts of Turkey, too. I don’t understand Turkey’s insistence on this. If the necessary precautions were taken, I would not oppose building a plant. Let’s first look at Teknecik and AKSA.”
“THE ELECTORAL SYSTEM MUST CHANGE”
“We have failed in law, the running of the country, the media and local government. We complain about the lack of oversight. In other countries, the media provides that oversight. There is no ethics, no values and no understanding left. Of course, politicians lie, do the wrong thing and switch to other political parties in a country where things are like this. We shouldn’t be surprised by that. Our electoral system is built around who can defeat whom. The electoral system must change now.”
ACADEMIC TUNCEL: “SHORT-, MEDIUM- AND LONG-TERM SOLUTION PLANS MUST BE MADE” “Those running the country and driving around in luxury cars are now drowning in the consequences of their own actions. There is no need to blame nature. We are bearing the consequences of what we have done with our own hands. For now, our only consolation is that there has been no loss of life. There are no floods on roads or in residential areas built in earlier periods. In places where there have been terrible scenes before, have any precautions been taken as time has passed? This is now a problem for the state and the country. First, the problems need to be identified, and short-, medium- and long-term plans made to address them.”
“WE WILL SUFFER THE AKSA DISASTER FOR YEARS” “There are many methods of producing nuclear energy. Different methods can be used. The global public is very sensitive about this issue. For years, developed countries tried to dispose of the waste from these plants by selling it to less developed countries. But the world is now opposed to this. The plant being considered for Turkey is located, first and foremost, on an earthquake fault zone. In my view, there is no need for such an investment in Turkey. While people try to do one thing, the environment is being destroyed on the other hand. To engage in nuclear energy, you first need a very strong military force. This investment must be very well protected. There is another motive behind this. The world is steering clear of investments of this kind. I find it hard to understand why they want to bring one to Turkey. All of Turkey will suffer the consequences of this misguided policy. AKSA has already brought disaster upon us, and we will suffer its effects for years.”
“A PARTY OF POLITICAL TURNCOATS SHOULD BE FORMED” “We have many universities. Many of our university graduates are unemployed and left stranded. On top of that, unfortunately, we don’t have a skilled workforce. While we try to do the right things on one hand, we undo the things we have done right because of a lack of planning. Politicians are not solely to blame for everything. Instead of complaining, society must wake up and rid the political arena of MPs who keep hopping from one party to another.”
FORMER AGRICULTURE MINISTER SAMİ DAYIOĞLU: “PRECAUTIONS SHOULD BE TAKEN, ESPECIALLY IN THE SUMMER MONTHS” “The area where Levent College is located is the point where streams from three different directions meet. The course of the stream here has been changed, legally or illegally. The result is there for all to see. Precautions should be taken, especially in the summer months. If such a disaster had happened at night, the consequences would have been much worse; it would have been a catastrophe. People live throughout Lefkoşa, so the consequences could have been much worse. It really is a great stroke of luck that there has been no loss of life. I don’t wish for it, but the necessary precautions must be taken before worse things happen. This is not just a problem for municipalities; it is a problem for the country. There are people blaming LTB President Mehmet Harmancı. That, too, is completely wrong. Above all, what is needed is the will to act. A lot can be done with the will to do it; these are not difficult things.”
“IF TURKEY IS GOING TO BUILD THE PLANT, IT WON’T ASK ANYONE” “The nuclear power plant to be built in Turkey is a significant matter. The world is looking for safer, more environmentally friendly and more humane ways to produce energy. If Turkey is going to build it, it won’t ask anyone. The site where the plant will be built is in an earthquake zone. That is a very important factor. Can this mistake be made knowingly, with all its risks? We will see. The Russian president’s visit to Turkey must surely be related to this issue.”
“AN AGREEMENT COULD BE SIGNED BEFORE THE PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION” “If society learns to bring about change properly, it will of course get something in return. We have a presidential election next year. The rapprochement between Greece and Turkey and the British prime minister’s visit to Turkey are not coincidences. I think an agreement could be signed before the presidential election in April. In my view, that is not out of the question.”