İmamoğlu: The judiciary has once again said stop to Kanal Istanbul

The Istanbul 5th Administrative Court has made a significant ruling regarding the "Kanal Istanbul" project, which has been a subject of debate for many years. The court found the "Reserve Area Designation and Environmental Plan" adopted within the scope of the project to be unlawful and cancelled it.

In its ruling, the court stated that the designation of the reserve building area was made without the necessary scientific and technical analyses. Furthermore, it was emphasized that this decision deviated from the purpose of urban transformation and formed a basis for settlement projects that threaten Istanbul's natural areas, such as forests, agricultural lands, and water basins. The Administrative Court pointed out that the designations were carried out without detailed examination and reporting.

Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu shared a post on his social media account regarding this court decision, using the following expressions:

"The judiciary has once again said stop to the Kanal Istanbul and Yenişehir project! In the lawsuit filed, both the reserve area decision and the Environmental Plan were cancelled in terms of urban planning principles. There are Guardians of Istanbul to protect Istanbul and the entire Marmara region. Everyone should read the court's striking findings."