The legislative proposal known as the “Super-Permitted Omnibus Bill” has been passed by the Turkish Grand National Assembly. The bill grants sweeping privileges to mining, energy, and construction companies, aiming to open forests, olive groves, pasturelands, and coastal areas to capital interests. Under the guise of “public interest,” the law effectively transfers public commons into the hands of private corporations.
Prepared by MPs from the Justice and Development Party (AKP), the bill is not merely a technical legal amendment but constitutes a comprehensive program of plunder, exploitation, and domination.
By prioritizing the interests of capital groups, the law seeks to place the natural assets that belong to the public at the disposal of private enterprises.
Capital-driven legislation
The fact that MP have become representatives of capital rather than the people after the elections seriously undermines democratic representation. The bill passed in the General Assembly disregards the will of the people by opening up the commons, such as forests, pasturelands, olive groves, and coastlines, to private capital investments under the guise of “public benefit.”
Dispossession of olive groves and pasturelands
Allowing olive groves to be converted into mining zones on the condition of creating “equivalent orchards” destroys a millennia-old agricultural culture. This policy not only results in environmental destruction but also represents the systematic dispossession of the peasant class.
The new regulation concerning pastureland has the potential to bring an end to livestock farming and rural livelihoods. By removing the requirement to search for alternative sites, the legislation enables capital to expand at the expense of local production.
This approach seeks to sever the rural population from independent farming and transform it into a reservoir of cheap labor.
Public oversight is being dismantled
Under the new regulation, oversight mechanisms on forest-designated lands are being eliminated, and Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) procedures are rendered ineffective. The authority of the General Directorate of Forestry to provide opinions has been removed, while the General Directorate of Mining and Petroleum Affairs (MAPEG) is now authorized to grant all permits directly.
As a result, all mechanisms intended to protect nature are being dismantled, and public oversight is effectively abolished in favor of private capital interests.
The state becomes an approval mechanism for capital
With the new law, EIA processes are reduced to mere formalities. If institutions fail to submit an opinion within three months, the project is automatically deemed approved. This excludes the public, local communities, and environmental defenders from decision-making processes.
In such a framework, the state, rather than fulfilling its duty to protect the environment, becomes an approval mechanism for corporate interests. The new law also places public institutions responsible for protecting cultural and natural heritage under pressure by holding them financially liable for compensation in favor of investors. This effectively punishes and silences public officials who seek to safeguard nature and cultural heritage.
Contradiction with the Climate Law
The newly enacted Climate Law aims to halt ecological destruction, protect carbon sink areas, and reduce emissions. However, the omnibus bill clearly contradicts these goals. The fact that the state is taking steps that conflict with its own environmental objectives creates inconsistency and double standards in environmental policy.
Destruction it will cause
The omnibus bill is not merely a legislative amendment; it represents the transfer of living spaces, rural production, historical heritage, and the commons of the people into the hands of private capital:
* Ecosystems will be fragmented, forest fires will increase, and rural production will collapse.
* Food security will be threatened; air, water, and soil pollution will worsen.
*Constitutional and environmental protection principles will be openly violated.
*Rural populations will be dispossessed and turned into laborers, while the social fabric will be dismantled.
Source: ANF News
