PodcastPasture lands in Turkey's 11 provinces zoned for construction
Turkish President Erdoğan has issued a decree to open 14 millions square meters of pasture lands to construction. Public infrastructures and buildings can be built on these pasture lands if the constructions will “serve common good and are of necessity,” says the presidential decree.
Duvar English
PresidentRecep Tayyip Erdoğan has issued a presidential decree to open 14million square meters of pasture areas in Turkey's 11 provinces toconstruction.
Thepresidential decree published in the Official Gazette on March 4 saysthe constructions will be contingent on permits issued by thegovernment.
Publicinfrastructures and buildings can be built on these pasture lands ifthe constructions will “serve common good and are of necessity,”said the decree.
The president of the Agriculture and Forestry Union (Tarım Orman-İş), Şükrü Durmuş, told daily Sözcü that this is the largest area of pasture land opened for construction in a single move. “This is a big step taken for the purposes of unearned income with the understanding that no one will make a fuss about it when the agenda of the country is different,” Durmuş said.
The president of the Union of Chambers of Turkish Engineers and Architects (TMMOB), Özden Güngör, similarly said that the move was driven by rent-seeking actions and the permits will be applied incorrectly, leading to construction of residential buildings and tourism facilities on pasture lands.
Meanwhile, İYİ (Good) Party deputy Ahmet Çelik submitted a parliamentary motion regarding the presidential decree, asking Environment and Urbanization Minister Murat Kurum what exactly “the common good” and “state of necessity” mean.
Çelikalso asked what the government intends to build on these pasturelands.