Request of Appeal Submitted to Council of State about Akkuyu

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After the Council of State 14th Chamber has dismissed a lawsuit which has been filed for the cancellation of a positive Environmental Impact Assessment report issued for the Akkuyu Nuclear Power Plant project, a request of appeal has been submitted to administrative lawsuit chambers of the Council of State. In the related request of appeal submitted by the plaintiffs Aegean Environment and Culture Platform (EGEÇEP) Association, Sinop Friends of the Environment Association and environmental rights defenders, a suspension of execution has been demanded on the grounds that the construction of a nuclear power plant in Akkuyu will create irremediable diplomatic and judicial problems and will inflict irrecoverable damage to environment.

In the petition of appeal, the reasons for objection have been listed as follows: Ruling in favor of a [legal] relation is against the principle of natural judge; the expert opinion does not have sufficient content for judgement; painful experience has proven that nuclear power plants are dangerous.

"It is a very expensive source of energy"

In the suspension of execution request, apart from the environmental impacts of the project, it has also been emphasized that the project is under the control of Russia; nuclear technology might pose a risk when there are hot conflicts in the Middle East and nuclear energy is very expensive.

Reminding that Turkey has provided the guarantee that "70 percent of the electricity to be generated by the 1st and 2nd reactors of Turkey Akkuyu Nuclear Power Plant and 30 percent of the electricity to be produced by its 3rd and 4th reactors will be purchased", the petition of appeal has offered the following calculation:

"The price that has been guaranteed for 15 years is also 12.35 cent. On October 6, 2010, when this agreement was announced, one US dollar was 1.5 Turkish lira (TRY). It is now 4 TRY. (The guaranteed price for the Sustainable Energy Resource Area is 7 cent.) Therefore, the electric energy that will be generated in Akkuyu Nuclear Power Plant is very expensive, which is just another indicator for the fact that the project in dispute is not for the public weal, but will cause public loss." (PT/SD)