Meriç Köyatası: 'Mining has no benefit to the economy'
Meriç Köyatası stated that the contribution of mining to the economy in Turkey is minimal, noting that the state and the public gain almost nothing, while environmental destruction leads to significant losses.
12punto
12punto columnist Meriç Köyatası made striking assessments regarding the economic scale and social impacts of mining activities in Turkey. Reminding that the share of all mining activities in Turkey within the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) is only 1 percent, Köyatası said that this rate holds no meaning in terms of public welfare.
In his article titled "Mining has no benefit to the economy" published on egesaati.com.tr, Meriç Köyatası used the following expressions:
''Mining has not the slightest contribution to the Turkish economy. The share of all mining activities in Turkey within the national income (GDP) is only 1 percent... This 1 percent economic size has not the slightest contribution to the welfare of the Turkish people or the state. Miners pay a state royalty share of at most 5 per thousand of the minerals they extract. For every kilo of gold they extract, they give only 2 grams to the state. The situation is not very different for other minerals. They are exploiting our assets that belong to the entire society and are not contributing to the state. By destroying nature, which is the greatest capital of tourism and agriculture, they are causing tourism and agricultural revenues to decline. They are messing with the livelihoods of a large segment of the population.''