Black Sea stands against the mining bill: "No to the plunder of nature"

The “Bill Proposal on Amending the Mining Law and Some Other Laws” being discussed in the Turkish Grand National Assembly threatens nature by opening olive groves, forests, agricultural lands and protected areas to mining and energy investments.

The proposal speeds up mining licensing processes with a “super permit” and facilitates permits in favor of investors through a special board.

NGOs, mass organizations and life advocates held press releases in many provinces and districts of the Black Sea region, stating that forests, pastures and coasts will be plundered under the name of “investment areas.”

ORDU ENVIRONMENT ASSOCIATION: LICENSES WILL BE SOLD AS GIFTS

Ordu Environmental Association and NGO representatives made a press statement in front of Ordu Metropolitan Municipality today.

The press release included the following words: "Every obstacle that has emerged for companies as a result of the people's struggle is being tried to be overcome with a new law or regulation."

"The people's protection of their land, water, forests and plateaus disturbed both the AKP government and mining and energy companies. For this reason, the People's Alliance government prepared a new bill to remove the small obstacles in front of mining and energy companies. The "Bill on Amendments to Certain Laws" was submitted to the Presidency of the Grand National Assembly of Turkey by AKP deputies on 13.06.2025 with the number 95, and will be voted on Friday, June 21.

As the Ordu Environmental Association, we, together with those struggling to protect nature and living spaces, raise our voices for the withdrawal of this bill, which does not take into account the views and reactions of the public.

In the proposed draft law, the General Directorate of Mining and Petroleum Affairs (MAPEG) will also carry out the permit processes carried out by the company that obtained the license. The company will be presented with a license as if it were a cake. From now on, it will prepare licenses for miners with all kinds of permits. If the relevant institution does not notify its decision within four months for the permit requested by MAPEG, it will be deemed to have given permission. Free mining permits can be given for 2 years in state forests. In places where permission is granted for exploration activities, operation will definitely be permitted. If an archaeological site decision is given in licensed mining areas, the project owner company will be paid compensation in the amount of investment expenses. Institutions will give their opinions in the EIA process within 4 months at the latest, including the additional period. If no opinion is given within this period, the institution's opinion will be considered positive. Forest allocation permits granted by the General Directorate of Forestry will be considered as appropriate opinions in terms of EIA. Other procedures required for mining activities where a positive EIA decision is received will be completed within 1 month at the latest. If this law is approved, a board will be formed under the presidency of the Vice President and the companies' mining and energy investment requests will be evaluated here. We understand from the practices of those who prepared this bill until now that they will remove the obstacles in front of the companies. The people's reaction, objection, and protecting their homeland are not valued at all. Whether they exist or not, the interests of the companies have become the priority."

REACTION FROM FATSA: WE WILL NOT GIVE OUR LAND

Fatsa Nature and Environment Association made a press statement today and stated, "Ordu's forests and hazelnut gardens will be opened to mining. Companies will be able to start working there without waiting for the EIA report."

At the press conference attended by political party representatives and life advocates, the following was listed regarding what will happen once the bill is approved:

- It could destroy our hazelnut gardens. 76% of Ordu's agricultural lands are already licensed for mining. Hazelnuts are the lifeblood of our economy, but this proposal will put our farmers in a difficult situation.

- Our forests will be plundered. 65% of Ordu's forests have been opened to mining. Our 200,000-year-old forests will be destroyed by projects without EIA.

- Our water will be polluted. Mining will poison our clean water. Our drinking water and the water we use for agriculture will be in danger.

- Our living spaces will be under threat. 74% of Ordu has a mining license. Districts such as Fatsa, Ulubey, Çatalpınar are completely under threat from mining.

"We call on all our people to unite to protect the land, water and future of Ordu. We will stand against those who set their eyes on our homeland with enemy flags yesterday and with laws today."

TRABZON RAISED VOICE AGAINST THE MINING LAW

In Trabzon, life advocates raised their voices against the new Mining Law on the agenda of the Turkish Grand National Assembly. The press release organized under the leadership of the Araklı Karadere Valley and Plateaus Nature and Wildlife Protection Association was held today in the Atatürk Area Square Park.

The press release, which said, "We will continue to protect our nature and our future together," included the following words:

"The articles included in this bill are of a plundering and looting nature for the underground and aboveground riches of Anatolia. If this bill becomes law; it will violate the public interest, mortgage the lives of our future generations and usurp the sovereignty of our country, and will create a great danger, starting with being unconstitutional. For this reason, we have to oppose this bill on the agenda altogether. We hereby warn all opposition parties and the deputies of the parties that form the People's Alliance: This text is the basis for an extremely dangerous legal regulation for our country and future generations. For this reason, it must be withdrawn immediately. We call on the Environment Commission of the Union of Turkish Bar Associations, the environmental commissions of bar associations, all environmental and civil society organizations in Türkiye and all citizens of the Republic of Turkey to oppose this law. We will continue to protect our nature and future together."

GIRESUN HARŞİT VALLEY PLATFORM: IT WILL CAUSE ECOLOGICAL DESTRUCTION

Giresun Harşit Valley Platform President Çınar Çetinkaya made a statement regarding the "Omnibus Bill" submitted to the Turkish Grand National Assembly.

Çetinkaya stated that the proposal envisages the urgent expropriation of natural assets for mining areas.

Stating that the current laws protecting nature, culture and agriculture will be rendered invalid with the proposal, Çetinkaya emphasized that the forests opened to mining will be transferred to the General Directorate of Mining and Petroleum (MAPEG) so that they can be allocated to mining companies more quickly.

It was also stated that an amnesty would be granted to unlicensed mining operations and that mining projects would be given almost unconditional approval on the grounds of "Superior Public Interest" without an EIA decision being taken on the projects. The proposal also states that the opinion of an official institution that does not submit an opinion within 4 months of the EIA will be considered positive.

According to Çetinkaya's statements, the permits given for mineral exploration activities will also be valid for business activities and olive groves will be easily opened to coal mining.

The most important article in the Omnibus Bill was shown as transferring the final decision-making authority for projects not permitted by the relevant institutions to a new board consisting of ministry representatives to be appointed by the President and equipped with powers that can exceed legal limitations.

Çetinkaya stated that this situation means that the mentality that opened olive groves to miners may allocate hazelnut areas to miners in the future, and that the license of 93% of Gümüşhane province and 83% of Giresun province as mining areas is a sign of disaster in their regions.

He warned that carrying out mining projects under these conditions would cause economic, social and ecological destruction.