ISTANBUL: Firefighters were tackling a wildfire for a third day on Friday in southwest Turkey, where municipal officials have warned that national authorities are unprepared even after last year’s devastating fires revealed a lack of planes and personnel.
Scenes of burning woodland near the Aegean coastal resort of Marmaris since Tuesday have sparked fears of a repeat of last year’s fires that ravaged some 140,000 hectares (345,950 acres) across the region.
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s government was criticized by local residents and opposition parties for being unprepared to fight last year’s fires. It responded by saying the wildfires were the worst in Turkey’s history.
Officials from Marmaris and the nearby resort Bodrum, both of which experienced the worst of the fires last year, have said the government is not sufficiently prepared this year either.
Marmaris municipal council member Ali Kirli said last year’s fires should have been considered “warning flares” to prepare better for this summer. “The fire season is approaching, but there are no planes in the air, there are no workers on the ground,” he told Reuters before the fire broke out on Tuesday.
“Fire-fighting planes and helicopters should be purchased, and a fleet of aircraft should be established.”
Marmaris Mayor Mehmet Oktay said the region was allocated one helicopter as of May and asked for an increase. Since the fire began, he has requested night-vision helicopters to tackle the flames at night, a demand echoed by Bodrum Mayor Ahmet Aras.
Aras also said planes should be deployed to the area and fire brigades should be strengthened.
The government has denied the accusations that it was unprepared this year, with Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu accusing the opposition of spreading lies. Kirli, Oktay and Aras are all from the opposition CHP.
The forestry authority’s budget was raised by 220 percent from last year to 2.4 billion lira ($138.15 million) and officials say night-vision helicopters are due to be delivered in July.
Wildfire rages on Turkish coast where officials warned of vulnerabilities
https://arab.news/6da4j
Wildfire rages on Turkish coast where officials warned of vulnerabilities
- More than 2,500 firefighters, aided by water-dropping planes and helicopters, were deployed to fight the blaze that erupted on Tuesday in the Bordubet region
Syria announces new currency framework, 2-zero redenomination
- Under the plan, every 100 Syrian pounds will be converted into one unit of the new Syrian Arab Republic’s pound
- Governor calls move ‘pivotal milestone within a comprehensive strategy’
DAMASCUS: Syria’s Central Bank announced executive instructions on Sunday to introduce a new Syrian currency, launching a monetary reform that includes removing two zeros from the pound and allowing a 90-day period of dual circulation.
The announcement was made during a press conference at the bank’s headquarters in Damascus.
Central Bank Gov. Abdulkader Husrieh said the step was part of a comprehensive institutional strategy to restore confidence and achieve sustainable economic stability.
He said: “The launch of the new currency is not a formal measure, but a pivotal milestone within a comprehensive strategy based on solid institutional foundations.”
Under the plan, every 100 Syrian pounds will be converted into one unit of the new Syrian Arab Republic’s pound. The old and new currencies will circulate together for 90 days, a period which may be extended.
All bank balances will be converted to the new currency at the beginning of next year, while the overall money supply will be maintained without increase or reduction.
Husrieh said the economic strategy was based on five pillars: monetary stability, a stable and transparent foreign-exchange market, effective and accountable financial institutions, secure digital transformation, and balanced international economic relations.
He said the move required updating financial laws and regulations, improving data systems, keeping pace with global digital developments, and ensuring sustainable financing and training for the financial sector.
The currency exchange will be provided free of charge, with no commissions, fees, or taxes.
All public and private entities must apply the official conversion standard to prices, salaries, wages, and financial obligations. Official exchange-rate bulletins will be issued in both currencies to ensure transparency and prevent speculation.
The governor said the central bank was closely monitoring markets to stabilize the exchange rate and would supply Syrian pounds if demand for foreign currency rises, adding that citizens will feel the impact more clearly after the exchange process is completed.
“Our policy is financial discipline, with no room for inflation,” Husrieh added.
He confirmed that the decree regulating the exchange limits the process to Syrian territory, and said the measures fell within the bank’s 2026-2030 strategy to align with international standards.
The new banknotes, he added, were being printed by leading international companies to prevent counterfeiting.
