Edirne court stops construction in park after old woman’s sit-in protest

EDİRNE – Doğan News Agecny

Kıymet Peker stopped construction at a local park in the northwestern province of Edirne by sitting in front of the bulldozer. on April 1. DHA Photo

The Edirne Administrative Court decided on April 2 the stay of execution for a construction project at a small green area in the northwestern province, a day after a 75-year-old woman stopped construction by sitting in front of the bulldozer.

On April 1, the old woman identified as Kıymet Peker protested a construction permit given for the green space that had been used as a playground for 18 years, accompanying a group of local protestors in 1.Murat neighborhood in Edirne.

The former mayor and municipal assembly gave permission for the construction of a commercial building at the park, as well as an asphalt road near the park in a decision made on June 5, 2013.

Ahmet Yalçınkaya and Süleyman Sır filed a lawsuit to the administrative court for the cancellation of the municipal assembly’s decision.  The Edirne Administrative Court ruled the stay of execution and gave 15 days to the municipal assembly to prepare its defense.

Recep Gürkan, who was elected as the new Edirne mayor according to the unofficial results, went to the area to lend support to the protestors on April 1, also sitting in front of the construction equipment.

The Republican People’s Party (CHP) candidate promised to solve the issue as soon as receiving the official voting results and vowed “the park will not be demolished as long as he is the mayor.”

“I will sit here as long as I am the mayor of this city. I defy this bulldozer to come and demolish [the park],” he said.

The bulldozer left the area after Gürkan spoke with the contractor company and the group.