The legal expert report has been provided about the marina planned to be built on the Ürkmez public beach in Seferihisar, Izmir. The planned marina had been approved by The Ministry of Transport, Maritime and Communication and granted the permission by the Environmental Impact Report (ÇED), which was sued against. Fifty Ürkmez residents together with the Seferihisar Municipality sued against the ÇED report and called for action of annulment of the marina construction.
The court experts made an independent research stating that the nearby Lebedos ancient city was a member of the Ion Treaty and the evaluations included in the ÇED report were insufficient. The expert report stated that although the planned project is adjoining to the Lebedos ancient city, no evaluations had been made about the possible expansion area of the ancient city or the effects on the current findings and topography. The research for the discovery of benthic invertebrates in the area is insufficient. Also, the habitat area for the protected sea plant posidonia is stated wrongfully. The expert report indicated that the environmental impacts of the project were not covered scientifically and overall the ÇED report was inadequate.
WE WILL NOT ALLOW A MARINA HERE
Seferihisar Mayor Tunç Soyer interpreted the expert report with the Ürkmez residents stating that no court in Turkey shall allow the marina project to start against the opposing legal expert report. Soyer added that the expert report was very detailed, clear and scientifically right and the construction company denied other suitable areas recommended by the Municipality. Soyer said: "We didn’t just say no to a marina, we offered them alternative locations for the marina but somehow they rejected. We are determined not fight against a marina in this area of Ürkmez.”
DON’T BUILD A MARINA HERE
The prosecuting attorney Şehrazat Mercan said the ÇED report was not based on scientific facts, didn’t cover the environmental hazards, but included promises instead. Attorney Mercan added: "According to the researches of the legal experts, this investment mustn’t be made here considering the ancient city Lebedos. It is obvious that the yacht marina will have undesirable effects to the environment. There are the endemic sea grass-posidonia, which grow just at the sea bed planned to be filled up for the marina. The posidonia provide more oxygen than the trees. These are the reasons why this area mustn’t be chosen for the marina investment.”