This Week in Alanya : 40

Weekly summary of news in Alanya | May 5 - May 11, 2025.

May 11, 2025

Hello Everyone! 👋 Samet Çelmeli here.

This week brought an unusually high number of news stories from across Alanya. Due to technical limitations, I had to leave out a few that didn’t make the final cut. If you have a moment, I’d love to know which types of stories interest you most. Just hit comment and share your thoughts. 😊

But before we dive in, let’s take a moment to celebrate something truly important…

🌷 Happy Mother’s Day to all the incredible moms, whether you're here in Alanya or reading from afar. Your love, strength, and endless patience make the world a better place. Today, we honor you for everything you do and everything you are. 💖

📰 General News

👮‍♀️ A lost wallet found at Alanya’s Tuesday Market was carefully returned to its 79-year-old owner, Fatma Sabiha Balta, by municipal police. The wallet contained money, bills, and important cards. The emotional handover at her home highlighted the appreciation for the officers' diligent efforts and commitment to honest service.

🚧 Starting May 15, construction activities in Alanya and other tourist districts of Antalya will be temporarily halted to protect the summer tourism atmosphere until October 15.

🤵 Alanya Mayor Özçelik outlined municipal projects during May’s council meeting, emphasizing accessibility, environmental responsibility, and cultural events. Highlights include major upgrades to disabled facilities and shelters for stray animals, a tropical fruit visitor center, expanded roadwork, and preparations for international sports tournaments. He addressed criticism over licensing enforcement and coastal regulations, stressing transparency. Notably, the number of business licenses has more than doubled since the new administration took office. Alanya will also host volleyball championships for four years and participate in sister city festivals abroad.

🚛 Progress on Alanya’s long-awaited Northern Bypass Road is nearing completion, with a truck driver recently testing the second-stage tunnel and completing the Kestel-to-Tosmur segment in just 1.5 minutes.

🩺 Alanya Training and Research Hospital has achieved a medical breakthrough as Dr. Muhammet Doğan successfully performed the region’s first microvascular free tissue transplant. The complex 8-hour surgery repaired a 10x15 cm leg injury caused by a motorcycle accident, marking a major step forward in bringing world-class surgical care to Alanya.

🌿 In Alanya’s Okurcalar neighborhood, authorities intervened in an illegal olive tree plantation on over 14,000 square meters of forest land. Acting on a court order, forestry teams removed the unauthorized trees across 15 locations. Locals were informed during the operation, and legal proceedings have been initiated against those responsible.

🐾 Two cats left trapped in a home after their owner was imprisoned in Alanya were rescued by firefighters and police in Cikcilli. The cats were handed over to the municipal veterinary team, found to be healthy, and taken to the shelter. Meanwhile, 12 stray cats were neutered and vaccinated, and 5 kittens were adopted as part of Alanya Municipality’s ongoing efforts for animal welfare.

🚔 Traffic and Public Safety

🚨 A tragic traffic accident occurred around 3:00 a.m. on Saturday, May 10, in Alanya’s Türkler neighborhood at the Vikingen junction on the D-400 highway. A Mercedes minibus and a Volkswagen car collided head-on, resulting in the deaths of 64-year-old Polish tourist Wieslaw Kazimiers Budzanowski and 30-year-old car driver Özgür Süleyman Yılmaz. Six others were injured, including five foreign passengers in the minibus and a 22-year-old passenger from the car.

💥 In Mahmutlar, a drunk driver caused damage by crashing into parked cars late at night. Testing showed a blood alcohol level of 1.35‰. As a probationary driver, his license was permanently revoked, and the vehicle was impounded. He faces a fine of 9,267 TL and legal action for endangering traffic, with an ongoing investigation underway.

🚓 A prison escapee attempting to hide in a wooded area in Alanya's Büyükhasbahçe neighborhood was swiftly recaptured by local authorities. Thanks to quick response and careful tracking, security teams located and detained the fugitive shortly after the incident, returning him to custody without further incident.

🚨 A street fight in Alanya’s Şekerhane neighborhood took a violent turn when a man who was beaten during the altercation returned with his car and rammed into his attackers. Three people were injured and taken to the hospital, while the driver was arrested and later jailed following legal proceedings.

This week, traffic fines poured down like rain — let’s take a look at what happened. 👇

🚐 On May 6, authorities fined 13 drivers a total of 83,420 TL in Kestel for illegal passenger transport.

🚓 A drone-assisted traffic inspection in Konaklı led to 12 fines totaling 18,960 TL. Violations included running red lights, riding motorcycles without helmets, and using mobile phones while driving.

🏍️ On May 7, a focused inspection on motorcyclists resulted in 21 drivers being fined 97,556 TL for various traffic offenses. Five unsafe motorcycles were also taken off the road.

⚠️ A radar speed check on May 10 in Kestel caught 35 drivers exceeding the limit, resulting in 96,950 TL in fines.

🛑 Alanya Police conducted large-scale traffic checks on May 5–6, inspecting 1,196 vehicles. As a result, 509 drivers received a staggering 1,765,214 TL in fines, and 29 vehicles were banned from the road. (What a week!)

🚫 A major food safety scandal was uncovered in Alanya’s Emişbeleni neighborhood, where expired products were found relabeled with new dates using a digital printer and put back on the market. The warehouse was sealed, the goods destroyed, and legal action launched following a joint operation by municipal, agricultural, and gendarmerie teams.

🛡️ Alanya’s Municipal Police Department has introduced an update by color-coding uniforms based on each team’s responsibilities. Orange uniforms will handle food and hygiene inspections, white uniforms will oversee beach businesses, and a 10-person motorized unit will focus on traffic. Separate teams will monitor street vendors and touts.

✈️ Tourism

🏛️ A discovery in Alanya’s Syedra Ancient City revealed a 5th-century Roman mosaic floor in excellent condition. Found between the Roman bath and the main street, the site also includes a 5-meter-deep cistern.

🏖️ Ahead of the 2025 summer season, Blue Flag inspections have begun across Alanya, covering 67 hotel beaches, 7 public beaches, 4 tourism boats, and 1 marina. The inspections ensure compliance with international standards on water quality, waste management, safety, and accessibility. The Blue Flag program, active in 50 countries and Turkey since 1993, promotes public health, environmental awareness, and sustainable tourism. Facilities meeting the 33 criteria and 16 behavior rules will continue to proudly display their Blue Flags throughout the summer.

🛬 In the first quarter of 2025, Antalya achieved a major transportation milestone, with Antalya Airport serving over 5.6 million passengers and Gazipaşa Alanya Airport handling 182,600. Combined, both airports welcomed nearly 5.8 million travelers before the peak tourism season.

✈️ Copenhagen Air Taxi launched its first direct flight from Billund to Alanya with 174 passengers at Gazipaşa Airport. The airline will add direct Copenhagen flights by late May, operating twice weekly from July 2 to August 6, with 102 flights planned until October 18.

🎭 Art & Entertainments

🎭 Alanya’s 11th Inter-High School Theatre Festival kicked off at the Alanya Cultural Center, showcasing the talents of young performers from 13 local schools throughout May. The opening performance, King Oedipus by the Basamak Sahne troupe, captivated the audience with powerful acting and received a standing ovation. Municipal leaders praised the students and reaffirmed their commitment to supporting the arts. You can find the schedule and other performances on the Alanya Municipality website (click here).

🎬 Here are the movies you can watch this weekend at Alanyum Shopping Mall:

Click on each title to see the movie details in IMDb

🏆 Sports

⚽ Alanyaspor claimed a crucial 1-0 away victory against Gaziantep FK, boosting hopes of survival in a tense relegation battle. With this win, Alanyaspor climbed to 38 points.

That's all for this week. Thanks for reading! If you enjoyed it, please subscribe and share it with others. 🙋‍♂️

🔗 Useful Links

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◾ Antalya Airport ✈ (Arrivals / Departures)
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◾ Flight Radar ✈ (Displays the plane's live location in real-time.)
◾ Municipal Map 🗺
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◾ Pay your Electricity bills online (CK Akdeniz) ⚡
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◾ Official Exchange Rates 💱 (You can also find historical exchange rates)
◾ cimri.com & akakce.com 🛒 (Compare and find the cheapest product across various Turkish online shopping sites)
◾ Latest Earthquakes in Turkey 🌍
◾ Documents Required for Short-Term Residence Permit Applications 💳
◾ Market Fiyatı 🛒 (compare the prices of products at supermarkets)
◾ City Cameras 🎥 (Watch Alanya Live through City Cameras)

This Week in Alanya