Turkish AKP party office opened in protected historic building in North Nicosia

A historic building located on Selimiye Square in northern Nicosia has been converted into an office for the Turkish Justice and Development Party (AKP). According to the newspaper Yeni Duzen, the building was granted restoration approval by the High Council of Monuments in December 2020 on the explicit condition that it be used as a cafe, guesthouse, or for tourism purposes. Local authorities, including the Antiquities Department and the municipal government of northern Nicosia, stated they were not informed of the change and did not issue permits for its use as a political office. Furthermore, the interior ministry noted that there is no legislation in place to regulate the opening of offices by foreign political parties. The building is situated near the Selimiye Mosque and the Yunus Emre Institute. Despite the lack of legal framework and official authorization, Emre Kaya, the AKP representative, defended the opening. The establishment of the office has raised questions regarding unauthorized land use of a protected monument.