Newsroom
A map depicting the whole of Cyprus as Turkish territory has been displayed in a busy underground passage in Istanbul, alongside an image of Mustafa Kemal Ataturk and nationalist slogans.
The map has been installed in the Karakoy area of Beyoglu, on the European side of the city. Turkish media reports say it depicts the territorial claims set out in the National Pact, adopted by the final Ottoman parliament in January 1920.
The map portrays not only Cyprus but also Rhodes and other Greek islands, Western Thrace and parts of Syria as territories falling within the borders shown.
According to Turkish reports, the map was placed inside the underground passage and station as part of its decorative and ideological design.
Responsibility for the redevelopment of the passage, including its implementation and funding, has been attributed to the technical works department of the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality. The reports therefore present the installation as a municipal project rather than an initiative by a private organisation or political group.
The National Pact was adopted by the last Ottoman parliament in 1920 and set out what it regarded as the empire's minimum acceptable territorial borders. The concept has since remained a reference point in Turkish nationalist political discourse.
The map's appearance in a public municipal space has attracted attention in Turkish media, with several outlets reporting positively on its installation.
The report also points to previous EU funding received by Beyoglu Municipality through programmes covering areas including cultural projects, climate change and adaptation. It argues that the display is particularly significant in light of that European funding, given that the map includes territory belonging to EU member state Cyprus and Greek islands.
