Turkey: The Government opens olive groves to mining
Under the decision announced in the Official Gazette (March 1), in the event that the mining activities to be undertaken to meet the need for electricity coincide with an olive grove and it is not possible to undertake the related activities in other fields, permission may be granted by considering public good so that the part of the olive groves where the mining activities will be undertaken shall be moved, mining activities shall be undertaken in the area and temporary facilities shall be set up for these activities.
The permission to be granted shall stipulate that the person who will engage in the mining activities will undertake that after the related activities end, the area will be rehabilitated and that he or she will allocate an olive grove the same size to the one where the mining activities will be undertaken. The area of the new olive grove will be approved by the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry and cultivated in line with the planting norms.
All costs and requests to stem from moving the olive grove will be met by the person who is permitted to undertake the mining activities.