Plan for cable car lines from Kyrenia to St Hilarion

Cable car lines will be built in Kyrenia, the north’s ‘tourism minister’ Fikri Ataoglu said on Wednesday.

Addressing ‘parliament’ during ongoing discussions regarding the north’s ‘state’ budget for 2024, Ataoglu hit back at those who called the idea of cable cars a pipe dream.

“Back when we were talking about restoring the old Kyrenia harbour, it was a dream, but today the dream has come true. My teams are working on cable cars.”

While he did not specify where exactly the cable cars would be, he had in earlier statements said he planned for two cable car lines. One, he said, would stretch between Kyrenia and the Bellapais monastery, and the other between Kyrenia and St Hilarion castle.

Additionally, he spoke about other initiatives his ministry has undertaken, including a tender for renovations to the Porta del Mare in Famagusta’s old city walls, the completion of a new museum in Gallinoporni, and the restoration of the Morphou railway station.

He also said a 25 million TL (€798,125) has been set aside in next year’s budget for a new pier in Vokolida, and that a television advertisement prepared by his ‘ministry’ had been shown on television in Russia, Germany, the United Kingdom and Turkey.

In addition, he said that flights between Ercan (Tymbou) airport and Turkey are now “cheaper than domestic flights in Turkey”.