Parliament back in recess as bid to address Akbelen row rejected

ANKARA

The opposition's attempt to address the contentious issue of deforestation of woodlands in western Türkiye, driven by mining interests, suffered a blow during an extraordinary parliamentary session on Aug. 8.

The proposal for a general meeting, aimed at discussing the ongoing deforestation activities in the southwestern province of Muğla's Akbelen region, was ultimately rejected by the ruling People's Alliance, resulting in the parliament entering another recess.

The special session was convened at the behest of Parliament Speaker Numan Kurtulmuş, following demands from several opposition parties, most notably the Republican People's Party (CHP). The focus of the meeting was to address the escalating tensions and clashes arising from chainsaw operations initiated in the forested area of the region.