Did the Council of State declare the Presidential Palace an 'illegal structure'? The Directorate of Communications responded to the claims

The Center for Combating Disinformation (DMM), operating under the Presidency's Directorate of Communications, has responded to reports appearing in some media outlets suggesting that the Council of State characterized the Presidential Palace as an "illegal structure."

In the statement regarding the claims in question, it was emphasized that the land on which the Presidential Palace is located does not currently hold the status of a natural protected area and is therefore legally open to development.

STATEMENT REGARDING THE LAWSUIT PROCESS

It was stated that all lawsuits filed in the past regarding the Presidential Complex, which was completed in 2014, resulted in dismissal. It was noted that the new claims brought to the agenda are based on a 2021 Conservation Board decision. The DMM reported that this decision has no direct connection to the Presidential Complex.

It was conveyed that the Council of State's decision was rendered within the scope of a lawsuit filed with the request for the cancellation and stay of execution of a principle decision taken by the High Council for the Protection of Cultural Property.

Furthermore, it was reported that the Council of State's Plenary Session of Administrative Law Chambers returned the file to the 4th Chamber of the Council of State, citing a previous decision on a similar matter as the justification.

The statement continued by noting that the information presented to the public was incomplete and taken out of context, which caused misleading perceptions among the public. It was stated that content specifically targeting the Office of the Presidency could lead to different legal consequences in accordance with Article 217/A of the Turkish Penal Code.