The meeting of the civil society organizations' power alliance platform, established to determine Kastamonu's strategic roadmap and vision, conduct necessary work towards goals and objectives, and convey this to all the people of Kastamonu, from 7 to 70, and the management levels, was hosted by our University and held at the Hoca Ahmet Yesevi Cultural Center on May 9, 2025. Within the framework of the "Transportation" theme, the transportation issues of Kastamonu were discussed.
The program was attended by Deputy Governor Aydın Ergün, Mayor Hasan Baltacı, former Interior Minister Murat Başesgioğlu, our Rector Prof. Dr. Ahmet Hamdi Topal, former members of parliament and mayors, representatives of public institutions and organizations, NGOs, representatives of political parties, academics, students, and invited guests.
The event began with a moment of silence and the reading of the National Anthem. After the reading of the National Anthem, the founders of the Power Union Platform were introduced to the participants. After the introduction ceremony, the first speech in the opening address was given by Oğuz Fındıkoğlu, the Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Kastamonu Chamber of Commerce and Industry, on behalf of the Civil Society Organizations Power Union Platform. In his speech, Fındıkoğlu said that they came together to carry Kastamonu into the future and to create a strategic plan. He stated that they came together to answer the question of how to carry Kastamonu into the future, away from politics and in cooperation. Reminding that the consultation meetings will continue in the future, Fındıkoğlu thanked everyone who contributed to this work.
After President Fındıkoğlu's speech, Provincial General Assembly President Doğan Ünlü took his place at the podium. Ünlü, in his speech, emphasized that Kastamonu is the last city of the Western Black Sea region and said that it is an important connection point in terms of transportation. Ünlü emphasized that the air connections should be actively used and underlined the necessity of reorganizing the ongoing flights. Additionally, Ünlü announced that work is continuing towards starting international flights next year. Stating that the work on road connections is ongoing, Ünlü emphasized that the connections with the districts are being accelerated.
Speaking as the host at the event, our Rector, Prof. Dr. Ahmet Hamdi Topal, stated that Kastamonu has great potential in terms of agriculture, tourism, and industrial resources, as well as development and transportation networks, but is not at a sufficient level in air, sea, and rail transportation. Our Rector also emphasized that this potential power should be put into action for the region's development. Our rector stated that universities undertake important responsibilities to add value to the cities they are located in, and continued his speech as follows: "We consider it important to be involved in solving all the issues of our city, including the transportation topic that we are pleased to host in this meeting." We believe that the road maps prepared as a result of the studies that highlight common sense and cooperation will make a positive contribution. We know that the efforts made in this direction will also strengthen local development, production, employment, and regional integration.
After our Rector, Kastamonu Mayor Hasan Baltacı took the podium and stated that one of the most fundamental issues in Kastamonu is transportation, saying that they have prepared a master plan for transportation. Mayor Baltacı announced that the public transport projects would be implemented in the autumn. Additionally, President Baltacı informed the participants about the projects they have prepared to solve Kastamonu's transportation problems.
After the opening speeches, the program was presented by former Minister of Interior Murat Başesgioğlu. It was emphasized that the participants of this meeting are individuals who will influence the future of Kastamonu. Başesgioğlu conveyed the historical, economic, and geopolitical position and significance of the city to the participants by narrating the history of Kastamonu.
In his speech, Başesgioğlu stated that Kastamonu has had a high potential from the past to the present, but it lost this advantage due to the decrease in the importance of the Silk Road with the geographical discoveries in history and the weakening of the traditional economy due to technological developments. Başesgioğlu emphasized that in order to revitalize the potential that Kastamonu possesses, transportation issues must first be resolved, and he highlighted that these could be addressed through strategic investments, making the city competitive with others.
Saying that the aim is to connect Kastamonu to the national railway in the coming years, Başesgioğlu stated that the connection of the railway and the transportation of industrial products to other cities would revitalize the city economically. Stating that Kastamonu cannot compete with other cities without solving the transportation problem, Başesgioğlu emphasized the importance of cooperation between local development plans and non-governmental organizations in solving this issue.
