Regional municipalities launch environmental and public health initiatives

Various regional municipalities in Turkey and Cyprus are implementing environmental and public health initiatives. In Turkey, Balıkesir Metropolitan Municipality, in collaboration with Çanakkale Onsekiz Mart University, is conducting cleaning operations in the Edremit Gulf to remove ghost fishing nets. During the 2026 summer season, teams scanned approximately 35,000 square meters of seabed to protect marine biodiversity and habitats.

Muğla Metropolitan Municipality is continuing its use of biotechnological pheromone traps in Köyceğiz and Ula to combat the Mediterranean fruit fly, aiming to reduce chemical pesticide use and protect agricultural yields.

In Cyprus, Değirmenlik Akıncılar Municipality has launched a project to map 560 potential mosquito breeding sites across 18 villages to manage populations through biological larvicides. Meanwhile, the Lefkoşa Türk Municipality is intensifying efforts to control mosquito breeding areas to mitigate the risk of West Nile Virus, monitoring water sources and stagnant pools.

Additionally, Değirmenlik Akıncılar Municipality has provided educational support to local students, distributing 1,230 vouchers worth 2,500 TL each to assist families with school uniform costs, alongside completing maintenance work on several local schools.