The foundation of the Turkish regional strategy, which has been implemented since 2002 by the Justice and Development Party and President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, is the concept of soft power based on historical, geographical, and cultural components. The first region in which Turkey tested the principles of its doctrine was the Balkan Peninsula.
ZBN Analysis no. 10 (49) / 2019
19 July 2019
The foundation of the Turkish regional strategy, which has been implemented since 2002 by the Justice and Development Party and President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, is the concept of soft power based on historical, geographical, and cultural components. The first region in which Turkey tested the principles of its doctrine was the Balkan Peninsula. From the perspective of the Balkan states, the most attractive element of Turkish strategy was the extensive cultural support offered by Ankara to both Muslim and Christian communities. In this context, Turkish government has been focusing on projects related to the renovation of the Ottoman legacy in the Balkans for more than a decade. The initiative to rebuild historical heritage of the region is coordinated by the Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency, which has become the main institution promoting Turkish soft power in the world.
In the photo: The Ottoman bridge in Mostar (Bosnia and Herzegovina)
Photo credit: Jan Niemiec (2017)