Diyarbakır officials address solar plant protests and UNESCO heritage protection

Diyarbakır Metropolitan Municipality Co-Mayors Serra Bucak and Emin Ay have joined a 47-day protest in the Ağaçlı neighborhood of Kulp district. Local citizens are demonstrating against a proposed Solar Energy Plant (GES) project covering approximately 300 decares of land, arguing that the facility threatens their living spaces and local water basins. Co-Mayor Bucak criticized the Ministry's Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) reports, stating they do not reflect reality, and called for collective action from local governments and civil society to protect the region's unique nature.

Separately, Co-Mayor Serra Bucak has called for a collaborative action plan to protect the Diyarbakır Castle and Hevsel Gardens Cultural Landscape, which is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site. During an information meeting regarding the Area Management Plan Update Process, Bucak emphasized the need for transparency and the involvement of elected local authorities. She noted that the management of the site has faced challenges since 2016, arguing that effective preservation requires consensus among local administrators, activists, and civil society organizations.