Turkish geophysics engineers protest new legislative proposal

Geophysics engineers in Turkey are raising concerns regarding a new legislative proposal submitted to the Grand National Assembly on January 9, 2026. The bill, which proposes amendments to the Land Law and several other regulations, includes articles that Sinan Kenanoğlu, Regional Secretary of the TMMOB Chamber of Geophysics Engineers in Gaziantep, claims will significantly narrow the professional scope of geology and geophysics engineers.

Critics argue that the proposed regulations could lead to thousands of engineers and engineering firms facing unemployment. Specifically, the bill may limit the ability of engineers to provide site-specific analyses tailored to unique soil conditions. Experts suggest that ground surveys should be defined as independent engineering projects rather than being tied to static projects to ensure structural safety and scientific integrity.

Furthermore, the proposal grants the Ministry authority to determine the number of firms, the number of engineers employed, and the geographic areas in which businesses can operate. This, combined with high fees and quota systems, is expected to place a heavy economic burden on small and medium-sized engineering offices.