New presidential palace set to open in October


Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan is preparing to move to his new residence, tentatively called the AK (White) Palace, after the initials of Justice and Development (AK) Party in which he served as the first chairman. Photos of the compound's interior were published by Turkish media yesterday ahead of its opening scheduled for Oct. 29, Republic Day. The complex, located in the Söğütözü district of the capital Ankara, will replace the current presidential palace in Çankaya that has been home for presidents since the 1930s. Built on an area of 300,000 square meters, the compound includes one main building, another building for meeting with visiting heads of state and dignitaries, guesthouses, gardens, a park and a congress center. The design of one of the offices for the president inside the complex is said to be based on the White House's Oval Office, according to Turkish media. The office was insulated against wiretapping and has no electric outlets to prevent the planting of bugs.