Erdogan to Open New Airport in Occupied Cyprus

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is set to inaugurate a new airport located in the so-called 'Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus' (TRNC) on July 20. This announcement was made by Turkey's Minister of Transport and Infrastructure, Abdulkadir Uraloglu.

“The new Erjan airport, situated in the capital Nicosia, will be inaugurated during a ceremony on July 20, which our President Recep Tayyip Erdogan will attend,” the minister stated, according to Hürriyet.

It has been reported that 400 million euros have been invested in the construction of the airport. “Thanks to the 400 million euros in investments, the airport will have a capacity of 10 million passengers. The runway, which is 3,100 meters long, is suitable for all models of passenger aircraft. There are a total of 30 spots available for planes to park,” the publication mentioned.

Cyprus has been effectively divided between Greek and Turkish communities since Turkey's military invasion in 1974. Approximately 37% of the island's territory has been occupied, which was declared as the 'Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus' in 1983. It has only been recognized by Turkey.

Negotiations for the reunification of Cyprus between the Greek and Turkish communities have been ongoing under the mediation of the United Nations. These talks were halted after the failure of the most recent round in Switzerland in 2017.