In Turkey, President Erdogan has given the go-ahead for the construction of the Istanbul Canal, a 45-kilometer waterway connecting the Black Sea to the Sea of Marmara. The first step in the project, according to Erdogan, is the construction of an 840-meter bridge that will become part of a new eight-lane highway, west of Istanbul. The new canal should relieve the busy Bosphorus.
The mayor of Istanbul speaks of Erdogan’s deception. The bridge and highway, according to Ekrem Imamoglu, were planned years before a canal was discussed. By associating the bridge with the canal, Erdogan is trying to avoid losing face, Imamoglu says.
The channel is considered a prestige affair for Erdogan, but the project has been postponed several times due to criticism and economic setback. With today’s starting gun, Erdogan is wrongly giving the impression that construction of the canal has begun, Imamoglu said.
‘Insane project’
Erdogan suggested the idea for a channel in 2011, calling it his “insane project” at the time. Opponents of Erdogan also think the project is insane, but for different reasons. They say it will damage the environment and ecosystems, and endanger the drinking water supply for Istanbul.
The planned canal crosses a lake from which a lot of drinking water for Istanbul comes. Polls show that a majority of Istanbul residents are against the project. Banks are reluctant to finance because of the expected environmental damage.
Treaty of Montreux
Erdogan wants an alternative to the Bosphorus. The strait separating the European from the Asian part of Istanbul is a very busy sea route. Every year 43,000 ships pass through the strait, while the safe capacity is actually only 25,000 ships. It is estimated that an annual capacity of 78,000 ships will be needed by 2050. The Istanbul Canal should be ready in six years.
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