Artvin Villagers Protest Mining License Extension Amid Environmental Concerns

A mining company's bid to extend its operating license for another 10 years in Artvin's Bazgiret village has sparked significant local opposition. Residents, environmental groups, and local officials gathered to protest the decision, arguing that the mining activities threaten the region's pristine natural environment and cultural heritage.

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You know, in Artvin, there were the Bergama and Cerattepe processes in Turkey first. The whole country was focused on the struggle against these mines. As the people of Artvin, we have carried on this struggle as a whole, and we are still carrying it on. Unfortunately, we have some collaborators among us, but our struggle continues.

The protest, which included a 3-kilometer nature walk culminating in a village square gathering, saw participants chanting anti-mining slogans. Neşe Karahan, head of the Yeşil Artvin Association, reminded the public that the company had allegedly operated with fraudulent permits the previous year. She stated that despite this, no sanctions were applied, and the license, which was set to expire in February, was extended for a decade.

Fındıklı Mayor Ercüment Çervatoğlu stressed the collective responsibility to protect the natural environment, calling Bazgiret a shared value for all humanity. He urged attendees to consider their duty to pass on this natural legacy to future generations, emphasizing that preserving Bazgiret's nature is a task for the entire community, not just its residents.

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This is a very special place in terms of nature. It is one of the most critical areas of the Caucasus Ecological Region. It is a geography where traditional life, neighborly relations, agriculture, and animal husbandry have been preserved to this day.

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Oğuz Kurdoğlu from the Forestry Faculty at Karadeniz Technical University highlighted Bazgiret's unique ecological significance as a critical area within the Caucasus Ecological Region. He noted its potential for tourism, owing to its mountains and waterfalls, and its preserved traditional way of life, agriculture, and community relations. Kurdoğlu argued that such activities should not take place in Bazgiret, even if permitted elsewhere.

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Therefore, even if such activities are done elsewhere, they should not be done in Bazgiret.

Artvin Mayor Bilgehan Erdem echoed these sentiments, viewing the area as a symbol of Anatolian heritage nestled beneath majestic mountains. The protest underscores a deep-seated conflict between economic development through mining and the preservation of natural and cultural resources in the region.

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When I look here, I see an Anatolian motif.