"You Can’t Even Hammer A Nail in Gezi Park"

Regional Administration Court removed the suspension order of Topçu Barracks project in Taksim Gezi Park.  

“This order is unlawful. You can’t even hammer a nail in the park because due to Istanbul 1st Administration Court decision on the suspension of all construction efforts in the area,” advocate Can Atalay told bianet. 

“Istanbul 1st Administration Court already suspended construction plans in the area. Regional Administration Court only ordered the removal on the suspension of higher council’s order favoring construction in the park. 

“This removal has no judicial effect. You need a construction plan to construct something in the first place. That plan is cancelled now. At the moment, you can’t hammer a nail in the park within the allowance of justice.”

Atalay also claimed that other construction efforts in Taksim Sqaure including road tunnel constructions were unlawful due to the cancellation of construction plans. He also reminded that Chamber of Architects filed a complaint on July 15 regarding the ongoing construction efforts in Taksim Square area. 

What happened? 

Taksim Gezi Park Preservation and Embellishment Association filed a complaint regarding the cancellation of Culture Heritage Preservation High Council (Kültür Varlıkları Koruma Yüsek Kurulu) decision dated on February 27 regarding the construction of a “shopping mall disguised behind Topçu Barracks”. 

On May 31, Istanbul 6th Administration Court suspended the decision. 

However, Culture and Tourism Ministry objected the suspension - an application anonymously overturned by court panel members on July 2. 

The ministry, then, applied to Regional Administration Court which removed the suspension order with anonymous vote. 

Court cancelled construction plans

Previously, Istanbul 6th Administration Court cancelled the construction plan in the area. In addition to that, Istanbul 1st Administration Court cancelled the project on June 6 regarding the pedestrianization of Taksim Square. 

The complaint regarding Taksim Square pedestrianization project and Topçu Barracks project (dated on 17 January 2012) was submitted to Istanbul 1st Administration Court by 3 professional chambers (City Planners, Landscape Engineers and Architects). 

A 3 member expert council advised that the project violated the basic principals of urbanization, city planning and preservation. The decision included pedestrianization project as well as tunnels, Gezi Park and Topçu Topçu projects. (NV/BM)