Yusuf Avcıoğlu, a member of the Central Executive Committee of the Halkın Partisi (HP, People's Party), has criticised the government's energy policies over the planned natural gas pipeline between Turkey and the TRNC. In a written statement, Avcıoğlu argued that while significant progress is being made on the project, the government has not carried out the necessary technical, legal and institutional preparations.
Avcıoğlu claimed that, because the government is preoccupied with election campaigning, vital issues directly affecting the future of the country and its people are being overlooked. He stressed that the planning shortcomings experienced in the so-called Water of the Century project must not be repeated in the gas pipeline project.
Pointing to an announcement by Turkey's Antalya NAVTEX Station, Avcıoğlu said the pipeline project had entered a critical phase in the Mediterranean. He noted that the vessels R/V Denar Pathfinder, Denar Echo, Denar Explorer and Kırıcı will conduct seabed and underwater surveys at the designated coordinates.
Avcıoğlu highlighted that Turkey will be represented by large bodies such as BOTAŞ and the Energy Market Regulatory Authority (EPDK), which have years of institutional experience and regulatory expertise, and questioned how prepared the Turkish Cypriot side is to sit at the table with them.
He added that the pipeline is not simply a matter of laying pipes on the seabed, and that the necessary planning must also be carried out within the country.
