Turkey's top administrative court cancels regulation allowing mining on olive groves

Duvar English

The Council of State, Turkey's highest administrative body, on Sept. 13 cancelled the regulation allowing mining activities on olive groves, the right-wing opposition İYİ (Good) Party deputy Metin Ergun announced.

Energy and Natural Resources Ministry on March 1 released a regulation stating that mining activities can be carried out on olive groves. The İYİ Party has filed an application with the Council of State requesting the cancellation of the regulation in question.

Ergun said “With this regulation, the way for more air pollution would have been paved. Through the discourse of 'We will plant the olives back in their old places' and 'We will plant the same number of olive trees as we cut,’ a great environmental massacre would have been committed. In short, the government (AKP) was going to open the areas that should be protected by law to rent and plunder,” according to reporting by ANKA News Agency on Sept. 20. 

“The Council of State on Sept. 13 ordered the stay of execution of the regulation in question, and stated that this regulation is unlawful, emphasizing the ministry does not have the authority to release a regulation on this issue,” he added.

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