Binali Yıldırım, AKP's current mayoral candidate for İstanbul and Turkey's last prime minister before the system change from parliamentary to executive presidency in the 2017 constitutional referendum, attended the cutting ceremony of a huge mosque at İstanbul's international Sabiha Gökçen Airport.
Yıldırım stated, in his speech during the ceremony, that "decorating our airports with mosques is actually a requirement of our civilization and our faith. It is, at the same time, a required service for those who come here to meet their praying needs".
"We do not make this to simply built a closed space, we will reveal our rich culture, tradition, and examples of Seljuk architecture with this mosque. People who come to the airport form their first impressions about the country there. That's why such a beautiful mosque, such a beautiful work for Sabiha Gökçen Airport was necessary," he said.
The mosque to be built is reported to have a capacity for 2800-3000 people attending the religious prayers at the same time. The opening of the mosque is scheduled within this year.
Binali Yıldırım also talked about his and his party's other plans for İstanbul in the cutting ceremony. "It is not enough just to make the European side a center of attraction. At the same time, by establishing new business areas and new centers of attraction on the Anatolian Side, we will eliminate the heavy traffic and the difference between the Asian side of Istanbul and the Asian side of Istanbul. That's why we plan a large convention and exhibition center right next to the airport. Of course, we do not ignore the spiritual needs of our people while doing all these things," he added.
