Forest lands, olive groves to be opened to settlement in quake regions

Duvar English

The ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) added an article at the last minute to an omnibus bill it submitted to parliament last week, which opens forestry lands and olive groves to construction in earthquake-hit regions.

The omnibus bill includes articles on several issues such as salary increases, motor vehicles tax increase and a 25% cap on rent hike. An article added to the bill at the last minute says that forestry lands and olive groves might be used for house construction of quake-hit victims.  

The head of state-run housing agency TOKİ, Ömer Bulut, told the parliament’s Planning and Budget Commission that the regulation in question will be mostly valid for the southern Hatay province. Accordingly, Hatay’s Amanos Mountains might accommodate new houses due to having a strong ground.

“We are putting an effort to find alternative areas. We don’t have a plan to enter these areas (forestry lands and olive groves) unless there is a necessity. These areas will be used only for quake victims,” said Bulut.

Opposition deputies however found the article in question “suspicious.” Main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) MP Veli Ağbaba said “There is a cunningness here” and recalled that similar regulations had always been abused in the past. 

The parliamentary commission’s head Mehmet Muş, from the AKP, suggested that the regulation in question could be worded more clearly and explicitly. “Let no one have a suspicion; we are all obliged to protect these (forestry) lands,” he said.

Opposition deputies have demanded that the regulation in question be withdrawn and more time is put into wording it, however, the AKP deputies did not accept this, citing the urgency of the house constructions.

The bill in question was approved at the commission and was forwarded to the parliament’s General Assembly to be discussed on July 11.

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