AKP proposed a law to open national parks to construction.

It was stated that with the “Proposal on Amendments to the National Parks Law and Certain Laws and the Decree Law No. 375”, which was discussed in the General Assembly of the Turkish Grand National Assembly and the first five articles of which were accepted, the national parks would be opened to construction, transferred to private companies and the plunder of nature would be accelerated.

If the proposal becomes law, it will pave the way for facilities for promotion, sports, entertainment and recreation in these areas. According to the accepted articles, the plan preparation process will be implemented in protected areas other than national parks. In some areas, usufruct rights may be granted for touristic facilities for up to 49 years, and if deemed successful, this period may be extended to 99 years.

Private individuals and companies can be granted permits for transportation, energy transmission lines, water and natural gas transmission lines, for a fee.

Reacting to the regulation, CHP MP Evrim Rızvanoğlu said, “Roads, energy and pipelines will be able to pass through the national parks. The essence of this proposal is money,” while Tekirdağ Deputy İlhami Özcan Aygun reacted with the words “The treasury has run out of money, you are privatizing the national parks”, while İYİ Party Trabzon Deputy Yavuz Aydın described the proposal as “not a protection, but a plunder regulation”. Negotiations of the proposal will continue on Tuesday, February 24.