Cement Plant Project in Menteşe and Yatağan Before the Turkish Grand National Assembly: Questions Raised About the Expert Report and EIA Decision

The Integrated Cement Plant and Raw Material Quarries Project, planned for the area bordering the Bayır neighborhood in Muğla’s Menteşe district and the Deştin neighborhood in Yatağan district, has been brought to the agenda of the Grand National Assembly of Turkey. Cumhur Uzun, the YENİ Party’s Member of Parliament for Muğla, submitted two separate written questions to the Ministry of Justice and the Ministry of Environment, Urbanization, and Climate Change.

Inquiry into the “author” of the expert report

In the motion submitted to the Ministry of Justice, it was alleged that in the digital metadata of the nine-member expert panel report submitted to the Muğla 3rd Administrative Court, a name—believed to have been involved in the project’s Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) report but not part of the panel—appeared as the “author.” Uzun requested that an investigation be conducted using digital records and UYAP data to determine who prepared the report.

The MP also requested clarification on what administrative and judicial procedures would be applied under the Expertise Law No. 6754 if it were determined that a person outside the panel had interfered with the report.

In his assessment of the matter, Uzun stated, “Even the slightest doubt regarding who prepared the expert report—which could directly influence the outcome—cannot be left unanswered. This issue concerns not only a court case in Deştin but also the public’s trust in the judiciary.”

'What Has Changed Since the Court Rulings?'

In a motion directed at the Ministry of Environment, Urbanization, and Climate Change, the question was raised as to why a new positive decision for the project was issued on July 3, 2025, despite the courts having previously overturned the positive EIA decisions. Uzun demanded an explanation of the scientific and technical data on which the new decision was based, as well as whether an independent study had been conducted regarding the project’s impacts on the environment, agriculture, water resources, forests, olive groves, and public health.

“The EIA process is not a bureaucratic hurdle that investors must overcome; but a public safeguard mechanism established to protect nature, human health, and the right to life of future generations,” Uzun said, arguing that any new scientific data that emerged following the annulment decisions should be shared with the public.

Request to evaluate both processes together

Uzun noted that if it is determined that an individual alleged to be affiliated with the project company was involved in the preparation of the expert report, the 2025 EIA Approval Decision must also be re-evaluated independently.

The allegations in the news report are statements made by the lawmaker in his parliamentary questions; the relevant ministries have not yet released their responses.