Ministry Approves Environmental Impact Report Despite Court Ruling

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The Ministry of Environment and Urbanization has granted a final positive Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) report for the Koza Gold Corporation for the third time, upon the company's request for a capacity increase in the Çukuralan Gold Mine in İzmir province.

The two previous positive reports were suspended and canceled by the 6th Administrative Court in İzmir.

The Commission for Examination and Evaluation (CEE), without restarting the process despite the court's ruling, approved an EIA report for the third time on November 20, 2018.

After the approval of the commission, The Ministry of Environment and Urbanization has granted a positive EIA report for the company yesterday (January 9), ignoring the court's verdict.

"Environmental impact cannot be changed with report"

Arif Ali Cangı, a lawyer and a defender of right to live, has told bianet that the EIA process and the CEE meeting violate the Circular No. 2009/7.

Cangı has said that the capacity of the mine was increased twice before and serious crimes were committed against nature.

Remarking that the court's verdict was ignored, Cangı has stated that the expert witness of the court assessed that the unfavorable situations around the project were not a deficiency, but elements that cannot be changed with any alteration, hence the court's choice of place was not right.

Cangı has also said that the environmental impact around the mine cannot be changed with a report. (HA/VK)