Milas coal mining expropriation legal dispute

In the Milas district of Muğla, a legal dispute regarding the urgent expropriation of lands used for coal mining to supply the Yeniköy and Kemerköy thermal power plants has moved to the Council of State.

Prior to the hearing, energy workers and village heads gathered in Ankara to protest the upcoming ruling. Representatives from the TES-İŞ union and the Village Heads Advisory Board argued that the mining operations have coexisted with agriculture for 40 years and that a halt in production would threaten the livelihoods of approximately 3,100 direct employees and 15,000 local residents. They warned of potential village depopulation and economic decline.

During the proceedings, legal experts from the Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources and the General Directorate of Mining and Petroleum Affairs (MAPEG) argued for the necessity of the plants' continued operation to ensure energy supply security. They requested that the decision to halt the urgent expropriation be overturned. A decision from the Council of State is expected within 10 to 15 days.