“North Nicosia is going to witness an historic event on the 19th of September, as this year’s 2014 Cyprus Rally will include a leg through the TRNC,” Prime Minister Ozkan Yorganciolu said, Bayrak TV reports.
Speaking about the European Rally Championship and Middle-East Rally Championship, Yorgancioglu said that the event, which will be broadcast live by the world’s leading sports channels, was extremely important in promoting the country.
Stating that the event will be held with the cooperation of the automobile and racing associations of the two sides, Yorgancioglu added that the “government has been supporting the initiative launched by the Cyprus Turkish Automobile Association from the very first day they had been holding contacts for the rally to take place in the TRNC.”
“It’s extremely important that the TRNC leg of the rally is being promoted by one of the world’s leading sports channel Eurosport. A large number of international journalists and news networks will be covering the event. Some of the schools or departments on this important route may close for the occasion,” Yorgancioglu added.
Yesterday, the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy, Tourism, Culture and Sports Serdar Denktas, inspected the ongoing preparations in Nicosia for the TRNC stage of the rally which will take place next Friday.
Speaking to reporters following his inspection tour, Denktas congratulated both the Cyprus Turkish Touring and Automobile Association and the Department of Road Works for their excellent planning for the TRNC stage and stressed the importance of hosting such an important international event.
Denktas also pointed out that some areas of Nicosia could experience traffic problems on Friday due to the rally and added: “Hosting such an international event here is extremely important. Our citizens may experience difficulties that day for the benefit of the state. We apologise in advance for any inconvenience which might occur.”
Also, providing information about the North Nicosia stage of the rally, the Chairman of the Cyprus Turkish Touring and Automobile Association, Tigin Kismir said that the Nicosia leg will be 5.8km long, half of which will be in south Nicosia and the other half in the north.
He said that they were expecting around 50 thousand people to watch the event and that all security measures had been taken in cooperation with the police and Nicosia municipality.
Referring to the route of the TRNC stage, Kismir said: “The racing cars will cross over to the TRNC through the moat area near the Ledra Palace crossing point , passing in front of the presidential palace, turning out of the walled city from Kyrenia Gate and continuing through Osman Pasa Avenue and back to Ledra Palace. The stage will end in south Nicosia.”
