Arıklı: We Have Shelters for Hundreds of Thousands in Case of Regional Conflict

Speaking on Kıbrıs TV, during a programme hosted by Eda Alisinanoğlu, Arıklı warned that the regional conflict could have direct repercussions for Cyprus, given its proximity to the theatre of war.

“The War Next Door Concerns Us Deeply”

Arıklı pointed out that the presence of British bases in the south positions the Greek Cypriot administration as a party to the conflict. “The bases are facilitating assistance to Israel. If the war escalates, a more difficult period may lie ahead,” he said.

He added that due to the defence cooperation agreement between the Greek Cypriot side and Israel, there is a possibility of Iranian missiles falling on the southern part of the island. “This is why a meeting was held to assess preparedness,” he explained.

“Shelter Capacity Was a Surprise”

Arıklı admitted that some of the information shared during the briefing surprised him, both in terms of government readiness and civil protection. “Our civil defence organisation and security forces have taken all necessary precautions so we can sleep peacefully at night. I wasn’t previously aware, but we actually have a sufficient number of shelters,” he noted.

“We Are Ready – Even Places of Worship Are Part of the Plan”

The minister revealed that he requested a readiness exercise, which has since been approved. “We learned that we have shelters capable of housing hundreds of thousands. While it wouldn’t be appropriate to disclose their exact locations, I can confirm that agreements have even been signed for the use of mosques as temporary shelters if needed. The necessary steps have been taken,” he concluded.