Today, history will be made in Turkey, when the Bosphorus tunnel will be inaugurated. The link will be the fulfillment of a dream first envisioned by the Sultan of the Ottoman Empire more than 150 years ago, who wished easier passage to the portion of Turkey that is on the west side of the straits and also a better connection with the Hellenic and European continent.
For many reasons, including the choosing of Constantinople as the seat of the Holy Roman Empire for a lengthy period of time, Turkey has always sought to see itself as a 'detached' part of the European continent, while retaining its Ottoman singularity and tradition.
The tunnel is the deepest ever constructed, and sinks to almost 200 feet below the sea.
In 1980 Turkey revived the Sultan's project, which in 1860 was unobtainable, since technology was rudimentary at best, and undertook one of the largest projects on Earth.
But Erdogan's fulfillment of the ambitious project, which is coupled with other just as encompassing construction and infrastructure improvements, has not garnered him any admiration. In fact, the riots that marked the summer in the capital, were mostly derived by the malcontent expressed by the capital's denizens at Erdogan's careless razing and ambitious destruction of existing historical and green spaces to forward his massive construction projects.
But the inauguration hides a personal agenda not lost on many. The so called opening of the tunnel, is just symbolic, but it coincides with the current elections due to being in March 2014. A propaganda stunt, many complain, that hides both the true cost of the project and its feasibility, since people will not be able to begin using the tunnel for many years to come.
One of the complaints often heard against Erdogan's projects is the ruination and trampling over storied artifacts and archeological sites. In fact, almost 40,000 objects have been brought to light from the tunnel dig, including 30 Byzantine ships.
Istanbul however, does need relief. Erdogan is planning a third bridge over the Bosphorus to ease the congestion. But many believe that in a city of 16 million people, the third bridge will only put a small dent in the chaos that characterizes Istanbul's streets.
Source : France 24/ 10.29.13
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