Welcome to our midweek round-up of the latest news and updates from Fethiye and across Turkey.
Curated from various news sources
Mayor Karaca Highlights Municipality’s Role in Animal Welfare, Clarifies Wild Boar Responsibility
Fethiye, Muğla – Fethiye Mayor Alim Karaca has made key statements regarding the district’s animal welfare projects and the wild boar issue affecting some neighbourhoods.
The Mayor confirmed that Fethiye’s new state-of-the-art animal shelter, located in Değirmenbaşı, will be completed by the end of December or early January. Designed as the most modern shelter in the region, the facility was planned and tendered after being allocated to the municipality by the Ministry.
“This project is within our authority and responsibility,” said Karaca. “Our goal is to provide the best conditions for stray animals, with modern standards and proper care facilities.”
Turning to the wild boar problem, Karaca made it clear that the municipality has no legal authority over the issue:
“The pig issue is not under the authority or responsibility of the Fethiye Municipality. Wildlife conservation and national parks need to be involved. Of course, we want to work in harmony with them. If these institutions within our ministry request it, we will gladly mobilise our entire team.”
The Mayor emphasised that wild boars are a shared concern for the community and that coordinated work is already being carried out in certain areas, stretching from Yanıklar to Göcek.
Cleaning Event in Fethiye During European Mobility Week
Fethiye, Muğla – A major cleaning campaign will take place in the Fethiye district of Muğla from September 17–20 as part of European Mobility Week, with the aim of raising environmental awareness and promoting sustainable tourism.
The event is being organised in collaboration with Fethiye Municipality, the Seven Seas Travelers Platform (TUMMIAD), and the Fethiye Chamber of Commerce and Industry. Volunteers and municipal staff will carry out cleaning efforts along the Lycian Way, covering the route from Cennet Bay to Kabak Bay, Butterfly Valley, and Ölüdeniz.
Fethiye Deputy Mayor Oğuz Bolelli stressed the importance of the initiative:
“In an era where we are rapidly depleting the world’s resources, there is a great need for events like this to raise environmental awareness and spread public consciousness about building a sustainable world. We launched our Clean Fethiye campaign last month, and it continues. This joint project with our young entrepreneurs and the chamber of commerce highlights sustainable tourism and we gladly support it. Everyone must do what they can to change the course the world is taking.”
Fethiye Municipality Cleaning Services Director Mahmut Bayraktar said the cleanup would build on the ongoing Clean Fethiye project:
“We will be walking along the Lycian Way, starting from Cennet Bay to Ölüdeniz, promoting sustainable tourism while carrying out cleanup efforts. Our hope is to raise awareness so that these areas remain unpolluted. Let us all leave only our memories and not our waste.”
Koray Hamza Kalaycı, representing TUMMIAD, underlined the entrepreneurial spirit behind the project:
“Entrepreneurship is about finding solutions to problems. With this project, we aimed to maximise sustainability using the resources we have, especially in tourism where people consume the most. Both Fethiye Municipality and the chamber of commerce welcomed our idea, and now we are embarking on this journey together.”
Authorities hope the initiative will inspire residents and visitors alike to help preserve Fethiye’s natural beauty and strengthen its reputation as a centre for sustainable tourism.
New Generation Environmentally Friendly Electric Street Sweepers Begin Operations in Bodrum
Bodrum, Muğla – Bodrum Municipality has launched its fleet of 100% electric street sweepers, marking a significant step towards more sustainable urban cleaning practices.
The Sanitation Department introduced five of the new vehicles at a public event in Bodrum Municipality Square, where Mayor Tamer Mandalinci conducted the first trials. The ceremony was attended by Republican People’s Party Bodrum District Chair Tuna Işın, deputy mayors, council members, department heads, and municipal staff.
Designed to be user-friendly, economical, and quiet while offering strong suction power, the sweepers can operate effectively in a wide range of public spaces. Their compact and versatile design allows cleaning in urban and industrial zones, sidewalks, narrow streets, crowded areas, as well as supermarkets, shopping malls, hospitals, warehouses, factories, gardens, and transport hubs—places often inaccessible to conventional sweepers.
Mayor Mandalinci emphasised the importance of the initiative, stating:
“As the Bodrum Municipality, we are here to introduce the five new-generation vacuum sweepers we have recently added to our Cleaning Services Department. These fully electric vehicles, manufactured to European standards, will be our equipment for servicing our streets. Our staff has received the necessary training for the equipment. They have an eight-hour charge and runtime. They are both quieter and will provide much more ergonomic cleaning services in alleyways, streets, and high-traffic areas within the city. I extend my sincere gratitude to our Deputy Mayor Tanju Aksu and our Cleaning Services Director Serkan Kanik for their valuable services. We will carry out even better cleaning operations on all the streets and avenues of Bodrum with our ergonomic devices.”
The municipality highlighted that the new electric sweepers not only reduce noise and emissions but also represent a step forward in aligning with European environmental standards.
Muğla Metropolitan Municipality Cleans Vehicle-Free Bays by Sea
Muğla, Turkey – Muğla Metropolitan Municipality has carried out extensive coastal cleanups in Gökova Bay and Göcek Bays, removing more than 31 tonnes of waste from areas accessible only by sea.
According to municipal officials, a total of 31,035 kilograms of waste was collected over the summer months — 25,710 kilograms from Gökova Bay and 5,325 kilograms from Göcek Bay. The waste included plastics, glass, metal, household rubbish, and garbage left by boats, all of which were disposed of safely without harming the environment.
The cleanups form part of the municipality’s ongoing efforts to preserve the region’s world-renowned bays, known for their pristine waters and natural beauty.
Ahmet Aras, Mayor of the Coastal Aegean Municipalities Union and Muğla Metropolitan Municipality, underlined the importance of shared responsibility in protecting the environment:
“Muğla is a city with some of Turkey’s and the world’s most special natural wonders. From Gökova to Göcek, Fethiye to Datça, our unique bays welcome millions of visitors every year. We continue our efforts to pass these beauties on to future generations. Even in bays with no road access, our teams reach from the sea and carry out cleanup operations. We also expect our citizens to be more sensitive about protecting our environment, because protecting nature is our shared responsibility.”
Municipal authorities said the initiative demonstrates their commitment to safeguarding Muğla’s coastal ecosystem while raising public awareness about environmental protection.
Source: https://www.gercekfethiye.com/mugla-buyuksehirden-aracsiz-koylara-denizden-mudahale/107127/
Turkey’s Opera and Ballet Festival Kicks Off in Ancient Aspendos Theatre
Antalya, Turkey – The 32nd Aspendos International Opera and Ballet Festival opened in grand style at the ancient Aspendos Theatre with a performance of Giacomo Puccini’s Turandot.
Organized by Turkey’s Ministry of Culture and Tourism, the festival is being staged at the 2,000-year-old Roman theatre in Antalya, regarded as one of the best-preserved examples of its kind worldwide.
The opening production of Turandot was a collaboration between the Ankara and Antalya State Opera and Ballet directorates, directed by Italian stage director Vincenzo Grisostomi Travaglini.
Set in the Far East, the opera tells a timeless story of passion, challenge, and love. The performance featured soprano Olga Maslova in the title role of Princess Turandot and tenor Riccardo Massi as Calaf. The Ankara State Opera and Ballet Orchestra, conducted by Lorenzo Castriota Skanderbeg, was joined by the Ankara and Antalya State Opera and Ballet choirs, directed by Mahir Seyrek and Ivan Pekhov. Both Turkish and international soloists took part in the production.
The festival programme continues with Zorba on September 17, Swan Lake on September 20, Don Quixote on September 24, and Tosca on September 27. It will conclude with a guest performance of La Traviata.
Source: Anadolu Agency
Turkish Cities Embrace European Mobility Week ‘For All’
Ankara, Turkey – Cities across Turkey are marking the 23rd European Mobility Week (Sept. 16–22) with marches, cycling tours, open-air sports and cultural activities under the theme “Mobility for All.”
Launched in 2002, the campaign promotes reducing carbon emissions, rethinking travel habits, and reclaiming public spaces for people instead of cars.
The week opened in Eskişehir with a colourful city march, where EU Delegation to Turkey Chargé d’Affaires Jurgis Vilcinskas praised sustainable, people-centred transport. He pledged continued EU support for clean mobility projects, recalling EU funds that helped establish Eskişehir’s tram network.
In Mersin, events include inclusive cycling tours, seafront sports, and activities for people with disabilities, culminating in a Sept. 22 Car-Free Day with concerts and street games. In Amasya, the programme began with a symbolic “silent walk” joined by local officials and European representatives.
EU Delegation’s Maria Luisa Wyganowski highlighted the initiative’s inclusivity, stressing that “every citizen, whether a child, elderly, or someone with mobility challenges, has a form of movement beneficial for them.”
Source: Hürriyet Daily News
Historic Underground Monastery in Nevşehir Set for Revival as Tourism Hub
Nevşehir, Turkey – Authorities in central Turkey are restoring a centuries-old underground monastery in the town of Derinkuyu, with plans to open the site as a new cultural attraction.
The Aya Maryeros Underground Monastery, hidden beneath a derelict building and first uncovered in the 1990s, is believed to have served as one of the world’s earliest treatment centres for the mentally ill. Historical sources suggest the complex may have been used for this purpose as early as the 4th century, during the Byzantine era under the supervision of Christian clerics.
Carved into volcanic rock, the monastery includes tunnels, living quarters, cellars, and galleries, resembling the region’s famed underground cities.
“This is considered the oldest known treatment centre of its kind in the world,” said Derinkuyu Mayor Taner İnce. “Although it has survived from ancient times, it has not yet been introduced into our tourism network. Once expropriation is completed, we will be able to proceed more quickly with plans to open it as a museum.”
Source: Hürriyet Daily News
