Mayor shares the downgrading of a natural protected area as 'good news': We are rid of the SİT burden

The downgrading of the protection status of a natural protected area in the town of Mustafapaşa, in the Ürgüp district of Nevşehir, has sparked controversy. 

THANKS TO MINISTER OF CULTURE AND TOURISM ERSOY

Mustafapaşa Mayor Mustafa Özer announced the decision, which was taken as a result of work carried out by the Cappadocia Area Presidency and published in the Official Gazette last week, with the words, "My dear fellow citizens, good news, we are rid of the SİT burden!"

Özer also thanked the Minister of Culture and Tourism, Mehmet Nuri Ersoy, for the decision.

Journalist Yusuf Yavuz, in a series of posts on his social media account, evaluated the development in Mustafapaşa in terms of the protection of natural and cultural heritage.

Mayor shares the downgrading of a natural protected area as 'good news':
We are rid of the SİT burdenhttps://t.co/uO5ueziNVu pic.twitter.com/D0ZqkN2B1t

— 12punto (@12puntocomtr) August 8, 2026

“Lands will be opened to construction”

Yavuz stated that Mustafapaşa is a unique settlement that carries the characteristic features of Cappadocia, where natural and cultural heritage are intertwined.

Pointing out that a large area in the region, which also bears the traces of the population exchange period and was previously under 2nd-degree natural protected area status, has had its protection degree lowered to 3rd degree, Yavuz assessed that this change could widen the path for opening the lands to construction.

Stating that the decision was taken following the work carried out by the Cappadocia Area Presidency, Yavuz also drew attention to Mustafapaşa Mayor Mustafa Özer announcing the decision as "good news."

“The concept of SİT has been demonized”

Yavuz evaluated the development in Mustafapaşa alongside similar debates taking place in the Kaş and Demre districts of Antalya.

Recalling that efforts to declare a large area in Kaş and Demre as a 3rd-degree archaeological protected area were halted as a result of the demands of the local people and the initiatives of politicians, Yavuz stated that the decision there was also announced as "good news" by local politicians.

Expressing that Kaş and Demre are located in the heart of Central Lycia, Yavuz emphasized that historical ruins and daily life have been intertwined in the region for centuries.

According to Yavuz, one of the main reasons for the deterioration of this natural relationship over the last 20-30 years is that protection decisions have increasingly come to be seen as an "obstacle to construction."

Arguing that the difference between protection and prohibition is not observed in daily life, Yavuz stated that as a result, the concept of "SİT" (protected area) has been increasingly demonized by the local people.

“A balance could not be established between needs and legislation”

Yavuz also drew attention to the conflict between protection legislation and the needs of the local people through the example of Demre-Kaleköy.

Stating that there are many people in the region who have been fined and imprisoned on the grounds of violating the Law on the Protection of Cultural and Natural Property No. 2863, Yavuz expressed that on one side there are local needs, and on the other, protection legislation.

According to Yavuz, although it is the duty of public administration to establish a healthy balance between these two areas, the fact that protection policies have turned into prohibition in practice has created a new area of conflict.

“Removing SİT status has opened a new field for politicians”

Yusuf Yavuz argued that the transformation of the protection approach into prohibition has increased both violations of legislation and abuses over time.

Stating that in this process, the public has been positioned against protection legislation, and the legislation against the needs of the public, Yavuz summarized the resulting picture with these words:

“A new field has opened for politicians: Removing SİT status!”

Yavuz stated that there are even people in the region who have served prison time for "SİT violations" on behalf of their relatives, and expressed that as a result of protection policies that cannot be operated healthily, the removal of protected area status has begun to be perceived as "happy news" and "good news" in the eyes of society.

News Source: 12punto