Marble quarry scandal in Kaş halted: Court issues cancellation decision

The "EIA Not Required" decision issued by the Antalya Governor's Office regarding the marble quarry project planned for forest-designated land in the Gökçeyazı neighborhood of Antalya's Kaş district has been canceled by the court. In the lawsuit filed by the Kaş Environment and Culture Association and local villagers, the report prepared following the expert site inspection on May 30, 2025, emphasized that the entire region is forest land and that its protection is mandatory in terms of public interest.

According to the report by Yusuf Yavuz, the decision to cancel the EIA was made in line with the report containing the assessment of the Mining Engineer expert on the court-appointed panel, who stated: "The conviction has been formed that there is a superior public interest in preserving the site in its current state for the reasons detailed in the previous sections of the report regarding the area inspected."

GOVERNOR'S OFFICE EIA EXEMPTION DECISION HAD DRAWN REACTION

The Antalya Governor's Office (Provincial Directorate of Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change) had issued an "EIA Not Required" decision in November 2024 regarding the project prepared for the establishment of a marble quarry within the borders of Gökçeyazı village. It was stated that the licensed area, located to the west of the Demre Stream Valley, covers an area of 95.5 hectares, and that the Ankara-based Kentaş Madencilik Sanayi AŞ planned to start operations in the first phase on one-quarter of this area.

VILLAGERS AND ASSOCIATION TOOK THE PROCESS TO THE JUDICIARY

Stating that the region, which has an intact forest structure, would suffer irreversible destruction due to the marble quarry, the Kaş Environment and Culture Association and Gökçeyazı residents filed a lawsuit for the cancellation of the EIA decision. Citizens from the center of Kaş and surrounding settlements, as well as various political representatives, had supported the protests held at the project site.

ARCHAEOLOGICAL REMAINS DISCOVERED DURING INSPECTION

The 7-member expert panel appointed in the case conducted by the Antalya 3rd Administrative Court examined the project site on May 30, 2025. During the inspection, which took place under the escort of the Gendarmerie, archaeological remains were found on the land. The cultural assets identified during the inspection in an area where the Regional Conservation Board had previously given a positive opinion were registered and taken under protection.

COMPANY STARTED WORK WITHOUT WAITING FOR THE JUDICIAL PROCESS

The report prepared by the expert panel, consisting of an archaeologist, a mining engineer, an environmental engineer, a forest engineer, a geological engineer, an agricultural engineer, and a mapping/cadastral engineer, was completed on June 30. The report stated that the marble quarry project, which threatens the living spaces of villagers who make their living from olive growing, beekeeping, and small-scale livestock farming, would lead to serious losses in the intact maquis ecosystem. Despite this, it was stated that the company had sent heavy machinery to the land and started work two weeks ago without waiting for the court decision.

COURT ISSUES CANCELLATION DECISION

The Kaş Environment and Culture Association applied to the District Governorate, demanding the disclosure of the work permits of the company that started operations on the land while the judicial process was ongoing. Subsequently, the Court canceled the "EIA Not Required" decision issued for the marble quarry.

CRIMINAL COMPLAINT AGAINST PERSONNEL WHO GRANTED PERMISSION FOR THE FOREST

Making a statement after the cancellation decision, plaintiff lawyer Tunca Koç pointed out that the project introduction file stated that only 17 red pine trees would be cut in an area containing thousands of trees, saying, "Are the beautiful strawberry trees and oaks not considered trees? We will file a criminal complaint against the Forestry Directorate personnel who issued the permit document on this matter." In his statement, reminding that the effects on water resources were also included in the decision, Koç stated that the state is causing great harm with such practices targeting forests, water, and agricultural lands. He stated that the association and the people of Gökçeyazı are fighting to protect the ecosystem.

ENGINEER'S “MUST BE PROTECTED” OPINION IN THE REPORT DREW ATTENTION

It was noteworthy that the Mining Engineer expert on the expert panel also expressed the opinion that the project site should be protected in its current state. The report included the phrase, "The conviction has been formed that there is a superior public interest in preserving the site in its current state for the reasons detailed in the previous sections of the report regarding the area inspected." Furthermore, the report drew attention to the importance of the region in terms of tourism, the disruption of forest integrity, the change in topography, the negative impact on the ecosystem, losses in flora and fauna, habitat destruction, the inadequacy of economic evaluations, and the fact that the resulting visual pollution would be visible from a wide panorama.