Message from Mayor Aras on the 100th Anniversary of Cabotage Day

Muğla, the province of our country surrounded by seas on three sides and having the longest coastline in Turkey, has great potential in the field of maritime with its strategic locations, said Muğla Metropolitan Municipality Mayor Ahmet Aras, stating that with the Cabotage Law enacted by Gazi Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, independence on the seas was given to the Turkish Nation.

In his message for July 1 Maritime and Cabotage Day, Mayor Aras said; "On July 1, 1926, exactly 100 years ago, the founder of the Republic of Turkey, Gazi Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, enacted the Cabotage Law for a sovereign state to have the exclusive right to all maritime activities carried out in its coasts, territorial waters, lakes, and rivers. Thus, the domination of foreigners over Turkish maritime ended and sovereignty in the blue seas completely belonged to our Turkish citizens.

Our duty today is to keep alive the spirit of independence entrusted to us by Gazi Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, to protect our seas, and to advance our achievements in the field of maritime. I warmly congratulate our captains, fishermen, coast guard and port personnel, shipyard workers, and all stakeholders of the maritime sector who labor at sea, and thank them for their devoted work.

I respectfully commemorate Gazi Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, who won our Independence War and granted independence to our seas through the Cabotage Law; Turgut Reis, Halikarnas Fisherman, Sadun Boro, and all our mariners who are devoted to our seas, and I celebrate our July 1 Maritime and Cabotage Day.