Coasts and Inland Waters Under Protection

The Council of State has overturned Supreme Councils verdict to cancel the basis decision regarding the protection of the coasts and the inland waters. CMO that had appealed the Council of State, harshly criticized the Council.

İstanbul

The Supreme Council for Protecting Cultural and Natural Assets had canceled the basis decision no: 627, regarding the protection of the coasts and inland waters.

The Chamber of Environmental Architects (CMO, argued that the natural assets became completely unprotected with this cancellation, and appealed the Council's decision. CMO got what it wanted at the Council of State.

CMO appealed the Supreme Council's holding to cancel the protection decision, and brought a suit against the Ministry of Culture at the 6th department of the Council of State. The court overturned the Council's decision.

The interests of the country were overseen

In the CMO's written statement signed by Ethem Torunoglu, the chair of the CMO board of directors, these points were highlighted:

* The natural Specially Protected Areas (SPAs), have been engineered by the law as areas to be conserved with the aim of protecting the country's interests and the universal values. If the country's interests are taken into account, the conservation of these areas is a must.

* As well as destroying our natural heritage, the Council's decision would have also damaged the ecologic balance of the nature. This is why CMO argues that with this decision, the Council has committed a crime against humanity. Departing from the idea that protecting cultural and natural assets is necessary for our public's interests, the CMO filed this lawsuit.

* The mission of the Supreme Council should be to protect the natural and cultural assets for the public's benefit, and to make new basis decisions when the laws are inadequate for the protection of the nature.

* It is the Supreme Council's responsibility to make sure that this heritage is passed on to next generations without getting spoilt. It is impossible to understand from a public interest standpoint, how the Supreme Council could approve a basis decision that would open up the natural and archeological SPAs to the pillage of the profiteers.

* Evaluating the application of CMO, the sixth department of the Council of State canceled the basis decision dated 29.01.2002 (principle no: 2000/5041, decision no: 2002/667), stating that "the incompatibility basis decision regarding the cancellation of the detailed regulations regarding the protection of the SPAs and waters with diving restrictions, and giving rise to a damage to the SPA characteristics by facilitating such actions that would destroy the natural features and structure of these areas, is not in accordance with the regulations."

The legal efforts will continue

TMMOB CMO also reminded in its statement that it will continue legal efforts against the regulations that have been made in the interests of international monopolies and their sympathizers', without the opinions and participation of experts and the public, and which threaten the right of next generations to live a healthy life. (FA/BB/EA/NM)