Turkish ministry allows second stone quarry at site of mass protests

Turkey's Transportation and Infrastructure Ministry allowed the construction of a second stone quarry in the Black Sea's İşkencedere Valley, where locals have been protesting a pro-government company's construction work for over a week.

Monday May 03 2021 01:06 pm

Duvar English

Turkey's Transportation and Infrastructure Ministry issued a permit for a second stone quarry to be constructed in the Black Sea's İşkencedere Valley, where locals have been leading a resistance against the pro-government Cengiz Holding's project for over a week, the daily Cumhuriyet reported on May 3.

Known for their close ties to the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP), Cengiz Holding started their construction in the Black Sea valley under a national COVID-19 curfew and have been continuing work behind a barricade by the gendarmerie.

Locals have managed to get around gendarmerie barricades around the construction to stop the company from cutting trees every day since construction started.

The Transportation and Infrastructure Ministry issued a permit for the construction of a second stone quarry in the area with a budget of 4.2 million Turkish Liras.

"Cengiz Holding works as a contractor, and it's the state that commissions it," said geophysical engineer Mehmet Baş about the stone quarry project.

Locals have also filed a lawsuit against the pro-government company on the grounds of environmental destruction, a common byproduct of construction projects promoted by the AKP.