Public OutCry in District of Amasra of Bartin Province on Black Sea coast of Turkey

Local Investor Industry Inc. company plans to construct a total of 2640 megawatts  coal fired thermal power in touristic county of Amasra on the BlackSea coast. Two public information meetings for EIA  were scheduled earlier but could not be realized due to ever growing local public reaction. Bartin Province and surrounding municipalities under the leadership of Amasra county, in 120 non-governmental organizations are established to oppose to coal fired thermal power plant investment. The EIA public information meeting was scheduled to be held in the Municipal Social Premises on 24-25th November 2010. Group of about two thousand people, and with their protest banners gathered outside the meeting hall.  Police's broad security measure was held to avoid any unpleasant outcome.  Opposition party deputy, Bartin Mayor (MHP), Mayor of Amasra (CHP),  together with the local crowd, entered the meeting hall with opposing slogans at the time of the EIA meeting and stopped the procedures.  Hema Industrial Energy Group Vice President and other company executives were surrounded by the crowd. The slogan was, 'We do not want thermal power plants'. Corporate managers wanted to walk out of the hall since meeting was not possible. Due to the ever growing reaction of the local people who do not want to have an EIA meeting, the company managers were removed under the police cordon. The protesters shouted slogans, 'Your Business is death', 'Do not touch our Living entitlement', 'NO to thermal power plant', 'Do not  touch my forest nor water'. They had lots of posters/ banners with the similar wording of the slogans. In the end, EIA meeting had been canceled due to public protest. The records could not be kept of the meeting. The announcement of the cancellation is celebrated with local folkloric dances with drums and flutes experienced great joy in playing. Translated from HurriyetDailyNews