Istanbul's Fatih Municipality seizes more authority in construction on historic peninsula

Istanbul?s historic peninsula has come under renewed threat after the Fatih District Municipality issued a ruling to give itself full authorization in executions of construction projects across broad swathes of the peninsula. Opposition voices claim that the motivation behind the move is to further exploit the land to generate income for the Justice and Development Party (AKP)-run municipality. 

Land on the peninsula is currently categorized into primary, secondary and tertiary historical areas, and with the new regulation the Fatih District Municipality?s permission will be sufficient to execute construction projects in the peninsula?s secondary and tertiary areas. Previously, the municipality needed approval from preservation boards to start construction projects in areas of cultural and natural value, daily Cumhuriyet reported on Sept. 12.

The decision was approved with the majority vote of Fatih Municipality Assembly members from the AKP. The Republican People?s Party (CHP) assembly members voted against the decision, with the CHP?s Faz?l U?ur Soylu claiming that the decision was made to provide additional funding to the municipality. 

The new regulation was passed despite cases ongoing into the execution of mass construction project plans in multiple places on the peninsula.

In mid-July, the Istanbul 2nd Administrative Court annulled a large number of construction project plans that risk damaging the fabric of the historic peninsula.

The Fatih Municipality, along with the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality (?BB) and the Culture and Tourism Ministry, objected to the court?s decision and demanded an additional expert report in August.

On Sept. 8, the municipality assembly members from the AKP proposed a new...