Court Allows Mine Construction in Cerattepe

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Suit filed demanding for the stay and cancellation of execution of Ministry of Environment and Urbanization’s “Environmental Impact Assessment (ÇED) Positive” report granted for the mine construction in Artvin’s Cerattepe has been dismissed by the court.

If the rule doesn’t change at the stage of appeal, there will be no obstacle left before mining project of Eti Bakır A.Ş., Cengiz Holding.

Cerattepe case is the biggest environmental case led by Yeşil Artvin Derneği (Green Artvin Association) with 751 people and 61 attorneys filing suit on July 8, 2015.

The attorneys had demanded recusation in the previous hearing but the court dismissed the demand.

The court stated in its dismissal decision that carrying out the project in state forestry does not contravene regulations, the project is 600 meters away from the national park area, and it is not within the tourism protection and development area and tourism center but nearby.

What had happened?

Cerattepe is one of the most important 41 sites in Turkey, all of Artvin’s drinking water come from Cerattepe. There is Hatina National Park next to it, and Kafkasör Tourism Conservation and Development area under it. The area hosts 2,000 plant forms, 124 endemic forms, hundreds of animal forms.

For 20 years the people had been fighting against the gold, copper, zinc and silver mining activities planned to be carried out in Cerattepe, Kafkasör plateau and Genya mountain.

First drilling works were launched in the area in 1987, people reacted against opening of the first gallery, and Green Artvin Association was found in 1995.

Ministry of Environment and Urbanization expressed a positive opinion to ÇED’s second report in 2013.

Rize Administrative Court overruled ÇED’s positive report in January 2015. However, the company has received another positive report from ÇED despite the ruling. A criminal complaint has been filed with the signature of 750 people and that examination of panel of experts has been awaited in these days. (NV/TK)