The inauguration of the Republic Campus of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus was held on 3 May 2025 in Lefkoşa. The ceremony took place following the completion of the buildings of the Presidency of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus and the Republican Assembly; it was announced that other structures including the High Court the National Mosque and the National Garden would be brought into service in subsequent phases. The ceremony was attended by the President of Türkiye Recep Tayyip Erdoğan the President of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus Ersin Tatar the Speaker of the Grand National Assembly of Türkiye Numan Kurtulmuş various ministers military commanders members of parliament representatives of the Organization of Turkic States and numerous guests.
Location and Structural Features of the Campus
The Republic Campus has been constructed on a site covering 639475 square metres. The campus is designed to include the Presidency building the Republican Assembly building the High Court the National Mosque the National Garden and other administrative structures. In the first phase the Presidency and Republican Assembly buildings have been completed.
The Presidency building contains two conference halls with a total capacity of 600 people a reception hall for 400 people 52 offices 10 meeting rooms a cafeteria a dining hall and a parking lot for 109 vehicles. The Assembly building includes offices for the President and Prime Minister as well as a General Assembly Hall for 157 members 25 member offices and meeting rooms for ministers.
As part of subsequent phases of the campus a National Garden covering a total area of 452428 square metres of which 290000 square metres are designated as green space a National Mosque with a capacity of 2252 people to be built on a site of 5661 square metres and the High Court building have also been planned. The campus has been developed with an integrated urban vision aligned with Türkiye and is being implemented by TOKİ.
Inauguration Ceremony and Attendees
At the inauguration ceremony President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan together with President Ersin Tatar of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus saluted the ceremonial ribbon and a formal welcoming protocol was observed. The ceremony was conducted with prayers followed by the cutting of the ceremonial ribbon. Numerous high-level political and military representatives attended on behalf of the Republic of Türkiye. Among the participants were Minister of National Defence Yaşar Güler Minister of Foreign Affairs Hakan Fidan Minister of Environment Urbanisation and Climate Change Murat Kurum Minister of Health Kemal Memişoğlu Minister of Industry and Technology Mehmet Fatih Kacır Minister of Trade Ömer Bolat Minister of Transport and Infrastructure Abdülkadir Uraloğlu and BBP General Chairman Mustafa Destici. On behalf of the Turkish Armed Forces Chief of the General Staff General Metin Gürak and commanders of the armed forces were also present at the ceremony.
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s Inauguration Speech
At the inauguration ceremony held on 3 May 2025 President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan of Türkiye began his speech by greeting the attendees. Erdoğan described the large gathering as “an magnificent turnout” and defined the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus as “the pearl of the Mediterranean the fortress of resistance and the eternal hearth of love for the homeland.” In this context he stated that the inauguration represented not only the opening of physical structures but also the unveiling of “immense achievements.”
President Erdoğan emphasized that the Republic Campus was not an ordinary project stating “Today we are stamping another seal upon these lands. We are bestowing upon the Turkish Cypriot people another magnificent work.” He underscored the symbolic value of the building and declared that the inauguration was not merely the completion of an architectural project but also “a declaration of will determination and love for freedom.”
During his speech Erdoğan also shared technical details regarding the campus’s structure. He noted that the campus was planned over an area of 639475 square metres and that the first phase included the opening of the Presidency and Republican Assembly buildings with the National Garden the National Mosque and the High Court buildings to be completed and brought into service in subsequent phases. He stated that the Presidency building is equipped with two conference halls a reception hall numerous offices meeting rooms and a parking lot for 109 vehicles and that the Assembly building includes offices for the President and Prime Minister along with a General Assembly Hall for 157 members.
In his assessment of the architectural value of these buildings Erdoğan said “Our Presidency Building represents the dignity of our state through its modern architecture and our Assembly Building embodies the Turkish Cypriot people’s love for democracy through its grandeur.” He pointed out that every brick carried “the sweat of workers” every design reflected “the vision of architects” and every detail demonstrated “the skill of engineers” and thus the entire structure was a “declaration of will.”
Regarding the political significance of the Republic Campus Erdoğan stated “The Republic Campus is a symbol of the determination of the Turkish Cypriot people.” He emphasized that this structure is not merely a physical centre but “the manifestation of a state’s will to exist in the face of injustice and lawlessness.” He described the bond between Türkiye and the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus as “a shared destiny” and affirmed that Türkiye would stand beside the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus today tomorrow and always as it has always done.
Referring to the historical identity and cultural heritage of the Turkish Cypriot people Erdoğan said “These lands are a great testament to our glorious past our spirit of struggle and our deep-rooted legacy.” He highlighted the connection between the Turkish Cypriot cultural heritage and Ottoman and Islamic history by mentioning the names of certain historical structures on the island.
In his speech Erdoğan also addressed the current political context clearly stating Türkiye’s position on the Cyprus issue. He declared “Let no one forget that although our names may differ when it comes to the Cyprus issue our surname is the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus.” He affirmed that this matter is embraced at the national level by Türkiye and reiterated that Türkiye’s support for the sovereignty rights of the Turkish Cypriot people would continue against external pressures.
Underlining his vision of a two-state solution Erdoğan said “If a new negotiation process is to begin it will henceforth be conducted not between two communities but between two sovereign and equal states.” In this context he announced that Türkiye would act in unison with the Turkish Cypriots and continue its diplomatic efforts in this direction.
During the remainder of his speech Erdoğan drew attention to economic and structural cooperation between Türkiye and the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus. He stated “Under the 2024 agreement we are providing a total support of 15.9 billion TL and for 2025 approximately 21 billion TL bringing the total support over the two-year period to 37 billion TL.” He shared this financial commitment with the public.
Under this support framework he announced that following the opening of the military hospital in Girne last year a 650-bed Lefkoşa State Hospital would be constructed in two phases. The construction of the first phase with 320 beds would begin shortly. He also mentioned ongoing health centre projects in Güzelyurt Maraş Lapta and Pamuklu as well as the renovation of Dr. Burhan Nalbantoğlu Hospital. Erdoğan said “The Turkish Cypriot people will gain access to another facility with a total capacity of 456 beds offering top-tier services across all areas.”
Regarding transportation he noted that a total of 322 kilometres of road projects are underway including the Değirmenlik Çatalköy Lapta Geçitköy İskele-Boğaz and Lefkoşa ring roads. Regarding Ercan Airport Erdoğan stated “The number of passengers reached in the entire year of 2023 was achieved within the first four months after the airport opened.”
Erdoğan also provided information on agriculture and energy sectors. He noted that a cold storage facility for citrus production has been constructed in Güzelyurt and that irrigation transmission and storage projects for the Mesarya Plain are ongoing. Regarding energy security he said “Just as we brought water we will certainly resolve the energy issue.”
President Erdoğan concluded his speech by thanking the individuals and institutions who contributed to the realization of the project saying “Through the decades of experience of TOKİ the will of the Turkish Cypriot people has united to produce such a magnificent work.”
Statements by President Ersin Tatar of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus
At the inauguration ceremony of the Republic Campus President Ersin Tatar of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus emphasized the symbolic and institutional significance of the project realized with the support of the Republic of Türkiye. He referred to the international status and sovereignty principle of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus. In his assessment on the occasion of the inauguration he said “This ceremony is a crucial step in strengthening the sovereignty and state structure of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus.”
Highlighting that the campus reflects the ongoing cooperation between Türkiye and the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus Tatar stated that these projects are strategic investments in the future of the Turkish Cypriot people. Expressing gratitude to the Republic of Türkiye he said “Türkiye’s support is the fundamental determinant in the development of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus.”
Speech by Speaker of the Grand National Assembly of Türkiye Numan Kurtulmuş
At the inauguration ceremony of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus Republic Campus Speaker of the Grand National Assembly of Türkiye Numan Kurtulmuş also delivered a speech. Kurtulmuş began his address by thanking and greeting the Turkish Cypriot people and emphasized that the construction of the campus was not merely a building activity but also a symbol of sovereignty. He described the campus as “the infrastructure that will carry the democratic will and political institutions of the Turkish Cypriots into the future.” In this context he drew attention to the functions represented by the Republican Assembly building.
In his assessment of the political future of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus Kurtulmuş emphasized the principle of a solution based on two equal states and stated that the Turkish side participates in negotiations with sincerity while the other side imposes deadlock. He affirmed that the construction of the campus is a physical representation of this determination for a solution.
