Foundation Laid for New State Laboratory Building in Northern Cyprus

A groundbreaking ceremony was held in Lefkoşa for the construction of a new State Laboratory, designed to operate in line with international standards.

The ceremony began with a moment of silence followed by the national anthem. Among the attendees were TRNC President Ersin Tatar, Prime Minister Ünal Üstel, Ambassador of the Republic of Türkiye to Lefkoşa Yasin Ekrem Serim, Minister of Health Hakan Dinçyürek, and other prominent officials.

The new facility is being built in the Küçük Kaymaklı area of Lefkoşa, next to the site of the old laboratory that was destroyed in a fire. The project is set to be completed by July 5, 2025.

According to Health Minister Hakan Dinçyürek, the new laboratory will feature a total indoor space of 2,217 square meters, which will meet the country’s immediate needs. Additionally, the building has been designed with the potential to expand by an extra 1,700 square meters, ensuring it can accommodate future growth if required.

Minister Dinçyürek also announced that the new laboratory will introduce alcohol testing, which was not available previously. Testing for olive oil adulteration is scheduled to begin in June, while honey analysis will commence in the coming months.

The original State Laboratory was destroyed by a fire on December 21, 2016. The contract for the construction of the new facility was signed in October last year, with the project estimated to cost 88,464,000 Turkish Lira.