07.08.2026 19:20
Minister of Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change Murat Kurum made striking statements at the draw ceremony held for 8,500 rights holders in Hatay within the scope of the 500,000 social housing project. Reacting to Haluk Levent, who was arrested in the operation against the Ahbap Association, Kurum stated that they worked day and night after the February 6 earthquakes and delivered 455,000 housing units, saying, 'These matters do not proceed through buddy-buddy relationships. We have already seen that this is not the case.'
A 'Housing Determination Draw and Antakya Arasya Bazaar Key Delivery Ceremony' was held in Hatay within the scope of the 'Host Türkiye 500 Thousand Social Housing Project'. In addition to Murat Kurum, the Minister of Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change, Governor Mustafa Masatlı, AK Party Deputy Chairman Hüseyin Yayman, Metropolitan Municipality Mayor Mehmet Öntürk, TOKİ President Levent Sungur, and citizens attended the ceremony.
"WE TURNED THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE CENTURY INTO TÜRKİYE'S SUCCESS"
Minister Murat Kurum stated that after the February 6 earthquakes centered in Kahramanmaraş, they worked 24/7 for the reconstruction of the city. Kurum said, "With the determined will of our President and your patience and resilience, we collectively turned the construction of the century into Türkiye's success. Thus, when we walk through the streets, hope has replaced pain in Hatay, and 155 thousand robust homes have replaced the rubble. Today, as our Hatay shines like a sun with its İskenderun Coastal Road, Historical Uzun Çarşı, Kurtuluş Street, the world's first illuminated street, our first mosque in Anatolia, Habib-i Neccar Mosque, and its historical parliament building; I thank my Lord who showed us these days and granted us this happiness."
"WE ARE REUNITING OVER 40 THOUSAND OF OUR CITIZENS WITH THEIR HOMES"
Stating that the work on the Century's Housing Project continues at full speed, Minister Kurum said, "Today, within the scope of our 500 Thousand Social Housing Initiative, we are drawing lots for housing determination for our 8 thousand 500 rights holders in Hatay. Thus, we are reuniting over 40 thousand more of our citizens with their safe, sturdy, and peaceful homes. In Hatay, tens of thousands more of our children will smile, and our youth will look to the future with confidence in a much stronger Hatay. Of course, let me give the good news right away that we will finish these social housing units with the speed of the construction of the century and deliver them to our Hatay citizens in October. I sincerely congratulate each of our rights holders whose homes have been determined, and I pray that God grants you a comfortable life in your new homes and peace with your families."
"WE DO NOT SAY THIS IS ENOUGH"
Minister Kurum stated, "So far, through our TOKİ, we have brought over 11 thousand shops to Hatay. Of course, we never say this is enough; we continue to build the commercial future of our city. Indeed, today we are bringing a magnificent trade center to the Arasta region of our Antakya. Our tradesmen in this trade center, whose current investment value is 3.5 billion TL, will receive their keys. We have worked on every detail of this trade center like embroidery. Our citizens coming to this trade center will easily park their cars and can shop with peace of mind with their families. With this beautiful work, our tradesmen will profit, our citizens will receive excellent service, and Antakya's trade will flourish even more. I now say to our tradesmen to whom we will deliver the keys, may your new shops bring goodness, abundant earnings, and prosperity."
"WE REBUILT THE INFRASTRUCTURE STITCH BY STITCH"
Mentioning that while doing these services, some are striving to undermine the state, AFAD, Kızılay, and institutions, Minister Kurum said, "We rebuilt a region almost the size of a European country from its ashes; they tried to overshadow our work with lies. We worked day and night with our tens of thousands of workers and delivered 455 thousand homes; they passed judgment from where they sat without taking a single step into our 11 provinces. We rebuilt 11 thousand kilometers of infrastructure stitch by stitch; they just slung mud. While we tried to grow our nation's hope, they only pumped despair. Everyone must know this very well. Governing the state and shouldering the nation's burden in times of crisis is serious work. This is not like putting on a show on social media. It is not done saying 'let the friends see the shopping.' This work does not proceed with cronyism. We have already seen that this is not the case. Over time, the empty cries and slanders of those who tried to shake trust in our institutions came and went like the wind. For you cannot cover the sun with mud. Their lies were forgotten, but the rising works of our state remained. Today, the revitalized cities in our earthquake zone, the lights turning on, and lives restarting are the most striking and powerful answer to them. Because time is the greatest witness of truth, and time has shown us all once again that the only harbor we take refuge in during our most difficult moments, the greatest assurance of our nation, is the strong state. Not temporary fads or populist winds; the deep-rooted institutions of our state, like plane trees, are permanent. The fundamental power that will protect our nation's trust and stand firm by its side on its most challenging day is this."
"THEY DON'T EVEN COME HERE AS TOURISTS"
AK Party Deputy Chairman Hüseyin Yayman, speaking at the ceremony, said, "Today, very important inaugurations will take place. We see the entire region rising again. We witness the earthquake of the century transforming into the construction of the century and the brotherhood of the century. We see a Hatay reborn from its ashes and an earthquake zone getting back on its feet. As for those who came to the earthquake zone saying 'We will give free houses,' they have not returned here even once since that day. Our President had called them 'earthquake tourists.' Not only do they not come to the earthquake zone, they don't even come here as tourists. Then they engage in disinformation, sow discord, and resort to all kinds of slander to denigrate the work being done."
At the ceremony, which continued after the speeches, the keys were delivered to the rights holders.