TRNC News Today 17^th August 2015

Martyrs commemorated on 41st Anniversary of Second Stage Cyprus Peace Operation

126 Turkish Cypriots from Muratağa –Sandallar and Atlılar that had been martyred as a result of the massacre on 14 August 1974 were commemorated with services.

In his speech, emphasizing that Turkish Cypriot community lived peacefully and without war up to today since the Peace Operation, the Head of Muratağa-Sandallar and Atlılar Martyrs Memorial Association Ahmet Aşır said that “We do not want to lose these peaceful days.”

Stressing that the Turkish army is the guarantee of peace in the island Aşır said: “We do not want to go back from here.” Taşkent Martyrs were also commemorated with services on the 41st anniversary of their massacre.

Services started with laying of wreaths at the monument, standing in silence and singing of the Turkish National Anthem and ended with the speech of Headman of Yukarı Taşkent Durmuş Aşandır, poetry reading and visiting the Martyrs Museum.

In his speech Headman of Yukarı Taşkent Durmuş Aşandır emphasized that on 14 August 1974 Greeks massacred 84 of their brothers and sisters from Taşkent and Terazi villages. Stating that 42 of the martyrs were buried in the village Aşandır asked the rest of the martyrs’ DNA tests to be completed soon and those to be buried at that martyrdom.

Martyrs were also commemorated with services on the 41st anniversary of liberation of Lefke.

Increase in the hotel occupancy rate in July

The Ministry of Tourism expressed that the hotel occupancy rate in July compared to the previous year has increased. In the written statement from the Ministry of Tourism it was stated that the hotel occupancy rate in July 2014 was 42.6% and it was noted that this rate increased by 2.6% and reached 45.2% in July 2015.

In the statement, it was noted that the increase in occupancy rates, which was experienced in the previous years, also continued in the January-July period of 2015. According to tourism statistics report, in July 2015 the hotel occupancy rate increased by 2.6% compared to July of last year.

In July 2015, passengers from Poland, Slovenia, UK, Iran, France, Italy, Denmark, Hungary and the Czech Republic were transported to the country by charter flights.

While the total number of tourist accommodation in January-July 2014 period was 422,873, this ratio was increased by 15% compared to the previous year and has reached to 486,252 in this year.