Regulation enters into force: Illegal structures in forests to be demolished 'without question'
A new regulation prepared to protect forests from illegal interventions has entered into force. According to this regulation, structures built unlawfully or existing structures will be immediately demolished by the General Directorate of Forestry.
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Facilities and buildings constructed illegally on state forest land, as well as areas planted or sown and their crops, will be seized without the need for any court decision and will be removed by being demolished or dismantled. All costs associated with the demolition of these facilities will be collected from the suspect.
The "Regulation on the Implementation of the Second Paragraph of Article 17 of the Forest Law," prepared by the General Directorate of Forestry (OGM) under the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, has been published in the Official Gazette and has entered into force.
According to information received from the OGM, the inability to stop or demolish all types of ongoing building, structure, and facility construction in forest areas during the preparation of a crime report—intended to protect forests from illegal interventions—led to the continuation of construction and complicated the execution of decisions to be rendered at the end of prosecutions, occasionally leading to confrontations with citizens. A legal amendment had been made to resolve this issue. The regulation regarding the implementation of this article also entered into force yesterday.
CONSTRUCTIONS UNDERWAY WILL ALSO BE SEALED
With the regulation, it has become possible to seal structures and facilities built in violation of the law—including those that are not yet completed or are still under construction within forest boundaries according to the finalized forest cadastre—to take measures to prevent harm to third parties, and subsequently to transfer the crime report to the Public Prosecutor's Office, allowing for an immediate seizure decision to be issued by the Public Prosecutor or the Criminal Judgeship of Peace.
It will be the principle that all unauthorized planting and sowing areas, as well as structures and facilities, including those in the construction phase, will be immediately demolished or removed by the General Directorate of Forestry without the need for any decision to be taken. However, the structures and facilities in question may be used for forestry services within the scope of the forest law if deemed necessary.
NEW DEVELOPMENTS WILL ALSO BE PREVENTED
The identification of the immovable properties to be demolished will be carried out by an examination and decision-making committee to be established within the regional directorates of forestry; the costs incurred by the administration will be collected from the individuals concerned, the demolition process will be carried out by notifying the relevant parties, and these areas will be continuously monitored to prevent new construction.