Tag: Topbas

Minister confirms plans for third Istanbul airport

Turkish Minister of Transport and Communication Binali Yıldırım has confirmed that a third airport is scheduled to be built on the European side of Istanbul, Anatolia news agency reported Monday.

“The new airport will serve an annual capacity of 60 million passengers and have two separate tarmacs,” Yıldırım told Anatolia, adding that it would be a build-operate-transfer project, a business model that gives building contractors the right to manage new facilities for a certain amount of time before transferring operations to the government.

While Anatolia reported Monday that the exact location of the $5 billion project is yet to be decided, Istanbul Mayor Kadir Topbaş told daily Hürriyet earlier this month the airport would be built in Silivri, on the northern outskirts of the city.

Following the mayor’s statements, some parts of Silivri have started increasing in value, daily Vatan reported Monday. The project is expected to be built on an area of roughly 20,000 square meters, the daily reported.

“This will be among the most prominent airports in Europe and will ease Istanbul’s air traffic congestion,” Yıldırım said.

The minister said civil aviation in Istanbul is developing quickly, with Atatürk Airport on the European side of the city shouldering a major proportion of the traffic, while Sabiha Gökçen Airport on the Anatolian side is also receiving an increasing amount of traffic.

Ministry handles subways

The Transport and Communication Ministry is also set take control of the expansion of both Ankara’s and Istanbul’s subway systems from local municipalities, Yıldırım said, adding that Cabinet planned to formally announce the decision “soon.”

The Railway, Ports and Airports Authority, or DLH, a sub-directorate in the ministry responsible for the construction of railways, ports and airports, will complete the expansion of the two cities’ subway infrastructure in conjunction with private companies.

“In Istanbul, we will carry on with the current contractor, while in Ankara we will continue to cooperate with those eager to make new bids for lines the current contractors are reluctant to commit to,” he said.

“We want to finalize these lines as soon as possible, giving priority to half-finished projects and lines vital for public transportation. It will take two or two and a half years to complete all ongoing subway projects,” he said.

November 30, 2010
Both Istanbul and Mexico City have been sister cities…

Mr. Kadir Topbaş, the mayor of the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality and attended in Mexico City for United Cities and Local Governments (UCLG) and Mr. Marcelo Ebrard, the mayor of Mexico City, signed the sister-city protocol between Istanbul and Mexico City.

Mr. Kadir Topbaş, the mayor of the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality and attended in Mexico City for United Cities and Local Governments (UCLG) and Mr. Marcelo Ebrard, the mayor of Mexico City, signed the sister-city protocol between Istanbul and Mexico City.

Mr. Kadir Topbaş, the mayor of the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality and also attended in Mexico City for United Cities and Local Governments (UCLG) for the 2010-2013 term at a meeting on Saturday in Mexico City, met with Mr. Marcelo Ebrard, the mayor of Mexico City at the Municipal Palace.

Mr. Marcelo Ebrard began his speech by expressing his satisfaction in hosting Mr. Kadir Topbaş, the mayor of the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality. Mayor Mr. Topbaş stated that the strengthening the relations among cities was being important and wished that the sister-city agreement would lead to concrete collaborations in the future.

After the meeting held at the Municipal Palace in Mexico City, both Mr. Topbaş and Mr. Ebrard passed along the hall to sign up the sister-city agreement. Mr. Hüseyin Tanrıverdi, the Deputy Chairman of AK Party in charge of Decision and Administration Committee, Mr. Alev Kılıç, the Ambassador of the Republic of Turkey in Mexico City have attended the sister city cooperation signing ceremony held at the Municipal Palace. After making a brief speech here, Mr. Topbaş noted that the inter-city relations of world cities have strengthened the ties of friendship and understanding between the people and cities and made a positive contribution to the solution of international problems.

After the speeches were delivered, the sister-city protocol between Istanbul and Mexico City was signed by both mayors in front of the invitees. About forty mayors who came from Turkey for the United Cities and Local Governments (UCLG) Congress also attended at the signing ceremony in Mexico City.

via İstanbul Büyükşehir Belediyesi.

November 28, 2010
İstanbul mayor elected new UCLG president

İstanbul Mayor Kadir Topbaş was elected as the president of United Cities and Local Governments (UCLG) for the 2010-2013 term at a meeting on Saturday in Mexico City.

Kadir Topbaş (R) was elected president of the UCLG.

Hundreds of local administrations from 136 countries out of 192 UN states are members of the UCLG. The presidential elections took place as part of the third World Congress held in Mexico City. Topbaş was the only candidate as Lisbon Mayor Antonio Costa withdrew from the elections.

“There will be a stronger UCLG which will make its presence felt more seriously and which will meet expectations. We will do it together,” Topbaş said after he was elected president. While noting that the organization will gather at least once every two months during his term in office, Topbaş said each co-president will be responsible for one of the main themes of the Millennium Development Goals (MDG).

“Another target is to have an office at the UN,” Topbaş said and noted that they will arrange a meeting with UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon to present their objectives.

Topbaş further said they plan to establish a system to pave the way for the sister cities protocols to work more actively. “Our foundation phase is over; now it’s high time to use our power. We want all local administrations to unite under the roof of the UCLG because we are really strong; we don’t do politics but we represent the public,” Topbaş said.

During the congress Lisbon Mayor Costa, who withdrew his candidacy for the UCLG presidency, said he wanted to work with Topbaş, whom he said was “a very prestigious mayor.”

Paris Mayor Bertrand Delanoë, who chaired the UCLG for six years, was given the title of honorary president. The next UCLG World Congress is set to take place in the Moroccan city of Rabat in March 2011. In the meantime, Bursa Mayor Recep Altepe and the mayor of the city’s Nilüfer district, Mustafa Bozbey, joined the UCLG World Council, according to a written statement released by the Nilüfer Municipality yesterday.

November 22, 2010
Turkey’s Istanbul designated as 2012 European Capital of Sport

President of the European Capitals of Sport Association, Gian Francesco Lupatelli, announced Sunday they chose Istanbul as the European Capital of Sport for 2012.

Sunday, 14 November 2010 16:35

Istanbul was designated as the European Capital of Sport (ACES) for 2012.

President of the European Capitals of Sport Association, Gian Francesco Lupatelli, announced Sunday they chose Istanbul as the European Capital of Sport for 2012.

Lupatelli told a press conference at the International Ataturk Airpor in Istanbul that ACES Committee following examinations at various spots in Istanbul, decided to designate Istanbul as the European Capital of Sport for 2012.

Lupatelli said next year’s European Capital of Sport, Valencia would be announced at the European Parliament’s meeting on November 30. He said they would present Istanbul’s certificate to Turkey’s Chief Negotiator for accession talks with the EU, Egemen Bagis and Istanbul Mayor Kadir Topbas during the meeting.

Istanbul’s Mayor Kadir Topbas, said the new infrastructure and sports facilities contributed to Istanbul’s designation as the European Capital of Sport, adding that the city would now eye the Olympic games.

“We will continue our intense endeavours. I believe people of Istanbul will will join us in our efforts. We have a new target: 2012. We will make some serious preparations for 2012. We say this must be followed by the Olympic games. These steps will bring the Olympic Games to us,” said Topbas.

AA

November 15, 2010