Residents of Zeytuna (Zeytinli), a rural neighborhood in the Yeşilli district of Mardin, staged a protest this week against the planned construction of a solar power plant (GES) by the Yeşilli Municipality, governed by the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP).
For two consecutive days, villagers prevented construction equipment from entering the area, according to Mezopotamya Agency (MA) reporting.
Villagers sat in front of bulldozers on May 7 and remained at the site for hours, chanting slogans calling on the district mayor to resign.
As tensions rose, additional gendarmerie units were dispatched to the area. Deputy Provincial Gendarmerie Commander Colonel Ahmet Erekici arrived at the protest and urged the villagers to disperse. Protesters insisted they would not leave unless the construction vehicles were removed.
After their demands were accepted, the bulldozers left the site and the villagers ended their demonstration.
Mayor defends project
In a statement reported by the İLKHA agency, Mayor Hayrettin Demir said the project was intended to provide free electricity to local villages. “We launched this project to supply electricity to our villages at no cost,” he said. “The site for the power plant was chosen following surveys by the relevant ministry and expert teams. Zeytinli was identified as the most suitable location.”
Demir emphasized that the project was a joint initiative by the Yeşilli Municipality, the Ministry of Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change, and the Ministry of Energy. “The license was issued by the state, and the project is publicly owned. There is no private company or contractor involved,” he said.
He also noted that the site was not classified as pasture land and that environmental impact reports, soil studies, and input from 21 agencies had been obtained. “I’m ready to provide documented answers to every question,” he said.
Demir added that the plant would employ local residents and that no action would be taken without the villagers’ consent. “No one should sow discord among us,” he said. “We are not enemies; we are relatives. If there’s a mistake, we’ll talk and resolve it. But this project cannot be stopped through threats or shouting.”
