Gazipaşa call to CHP leader Özgür Özel from the Underwater Research Society: 'Do not let Gazipaşa be concreted over'

In the statement calling on CHP leader Özgür Özel, attention was drawn to the scientific importance of the Gazipaşa coast, and it was stated: "We respectfully submit to your attention the need to emphasize the wrongness of these destructive tourism projects under the leadership of your party and to take the necessary actions to turn back from the idea of urbanization."

According to the news published on journalist Yusuf Yavuz's blog, the Gazipaşa district of Antalya has been under the threat of urbanization in recent years. Hotels on the coast and housing projects on fertile agricultural lands pose a threat to the future of the district. The Selinus coast, which is a protected area, has been opened to hotels. The EIA process was initiated last year for the first 5-star hotel project on the coast, which was divided into large parcels. Yavuz's report is as follows:

CHP MAYOR DEFENDED THE PROJECT THAT WILL CONCRETE OVER THE COAST

The 18th article zoning application of the CHP-run Gazipaşa Municipality, which carries out zoning work in the region including the coast, had been taken to court. Although the desire of businessman Adil Üstündağ, who collected land from many citizens for the hotel site, to build a 2508-bed hotel on an area larger than 50 thousand square meters drew the reaction of many people in the district, Mayor Mehmet Ali Yılmaz of the CHP was one of the most ardent defenders of the project.

ÖZGÜR ÖZEL THANKED THE MAYOR AT THE GAZİPAŞA RALLY

It was noted that CHP Chairman Özgür Özel praised the zoning work carried out by Mehmet Ali Yılmaz, whom his party re-nominated, at the election rally he attended in Gazipaşa on March 18. Thanking mayoral candidate Yılmaz for the 18th article application, which also forms the basis for the hotels on the coast, and stating that there are no hotels with tourism licenses in Gazipaşa, Özel said: "Despite it being such a beautiful place. While we boast about having the district with the most hotels in the world in Manavgat, hotel investments will now come here after this 18th article application. Domestic tourists will come, foreign tourists will come, and Gazipaşa will smile thanks to these works. While thanking our mayor for this beautiful work, I also want to draw the attention of all investors to Gazipaşa."

CHP COUNCIL MEMBER AND CANDIDATE NOMINEE RESIGNED FROM THE PARTY

Following this speech by Özel, which drew reactions, there were resignations from the party in Gazipaşa. Dr. Ali Kızılateş, one of the CHP's mayoral candidate nominees, and Architect Esin Bilgiç, a CHP Council Member for the Gazipaşa Municipality and Antalya Metropolitan Municipality, announced that they had resigned from the party, criticizing Chairman Özel's stance.

A REACTION TO ÖZEL ALSO FROM THE UNDERWATER RESEARCH SOCIETY

However, the reactions to Özgür Özel's praise for the zoning regulation that prepares the ground for projects that will concrete over the coast did not subside. The Underwater Research Society (SAD), which has carried out work on the coasts including Gazipaşa in the past, called on CHP Chairman Özgür Özel and requested that the necessary actions be taken to reverse the initiatives that will cause the urbanization of the Gazipaşa coasts.

'WE WITNESSED YOUR STATEMENTS WITH GREAT SADNESS AND CONCERN'

The call text, which also includes a scientific report prepared as a result of research conducted in the region, was sent to the CHP Headquarters. The following statements were included in the call letter of the SAD Board of Directors:

"CHP Chairman Mr. Özgür Özel, we watched the election speech you made in Gazipaşa, Antalya on March 18, 2024, within the scope of the information we obtained from the press and the members of the 'Gazipaşa is Ours Platform', of which we are members. Unfortunately, as an NGO that has been working, researching, and protecting Turkey's nature, especially its coasts and seas, without interruption since 1985, we witnessed your statements with great sadness and concern. Gazipaşa is the only district in Antalya that has been protected from urbanization along the Mediterranean coastal line. Gazipaşa's unique sandy coastal area and its surroundings, with all its natural structure and biological diversity, are within a unique Important Nature Area (KBA Gazipaşa). The Gazipaşa coasts are primary habitats for many marine and coastal birds, especially the Loggerhead sea turtle (Caretta caretta), the Nile soft-shelled turtle (Trionyx triunguis), the Mediterranean monk seal (Monachus monachus), the European shag (Gulosus aristotelis), and the Yellow-legged gull (Larus michahellis), as well as otters (Lutra lutra) and plants such as the sea daffodil, the ancient bellflower, and the sand lily."

'WE ARE READY TO SHARE SCIENTIFIC DATA ON NATURE AND HISTORY DESTRUCTION'

On the other hand, the limited Gazipaşa coastal strip, where a massive, destructive tourism is being attempted to be introduced, consists of natural and archaeological protected areas of varying degrees. Moreover, the first massive tourism facility, for which the EIA phase has currently begun, is also in a protected area. In addition, the fact that every urbanization contributes to global warming and consequently to the climate crisis should not be forgotten. Therefore, among the 12 coastal districts of Antalya province, the only district that has not yet fallen victim to urbanization should not succumb to the ideology of 'development despite everything' or 'tourism at any cost' with constructions that will continue as a chain of large-scale tourism projects. We state that we are always ready to share the published reports and articles with scientific data on how negative the consequences of these nature and history destructions, which the people of Gazipaşa and the local public largely do not want, can be. Only two of these are given in the appendix of the letter. Not only the Underwater Research Society, but also other NGOs and academic institutions, both from Gazipaşa and at the national level, will share this information with you or your advisors. As long as communication channels are open.

'LET THIS IDEA OF URBANIZATION, WHICH IS WRONGLY LOCATED, BE ABANDONED'

Without allowing Gazipaşa's unique archaeological and natural values to fall victim to habitat destruction, we respectfully submit to your attention the need to emphasize the wrongness of these destructive tourism projects, which we are sure are a highly incorrect location choice, under the leadership of your party and to take the necessary actions to turn back from the idea of urbanization."

News Source: 12punto