Forestry Minister Pepe applauds Council of State decision to raze Acaristanbul

Following the decision yesterday by the Council of State, the razing of the Acaristanbul villas now looks certain. Speaking yesterday about the decision, Forestry and Environment Minister Osman Pepe said "The decision on Acaristanbul only confims what we have said about this construction site. The land those villas sit on is a first degree nature site. The permits to built there were only obtained when they first had that land turned into a second degree, and then a third degree natural site. If this forest land, which can be counted as Istanbul's lungs, is not a first degree natural site, then where is? Of what good is it to Turkey and to our people if, while the country turns into a desert and the trees are all cut down, someone goes to this hill and declares they are building villas? These forests must be protected at whatever price necessary."