In a bold move, the nationalist İYİ (Good) Party has initiated legal proceedings to challenge Turkey’s Citizenship by Investment Program (CIP). The party claims that the program, which has granted Turkish citizenship to over 500,000 individuals, is unconstitutional and poses a threat to the nation’s identity. As the Turkish opposition seeks to revoke Citizenship by Investment, the legal battle could potentially impact tens of thousands of foreign investors.
Turkish Opposition Seeks to Revoke Citizenship by Investment in Court
The İYİ Party, led by Müsavat Dervişoğlu, has filed lawsuits in the Ankara Administrative Court and the Council of State, Turkey’s highest administrative court. Turkish opposition seeks to revoke Citizenship by Investment through legal measures that argue the program violates the country’s laws by offering citizenship in exchange for foreign investments, primarily real estate purchases.
Citizenship Program's Impact on Turkish Identity
Dervişoğlu warns that Turkey faces a "demographic occupation" due to the Citizenship by Investment Program, which has allowed foreigners to purchase over 309,000 homes in exchange for citizenship. The İYİ Party leader claims that at least 500,000 people have gained Turkish citizenship through this program over the past seven years, posing an existential threat to the Turkish national identity.
The Turkish opposition seeks to revoke Citizenship by Investment on the grounds that it violates Article 12 of the Turkish Citizenship Law No. 5901. This law outlines specific conditions under which exceptional citizenship can be granted, and the İYİ Party argues that granting citizenship in exchange for foreign currency falls outside these conditions and is therefore unconstitutional.
Opposition Expands Legal Battle to Syrian Refugees
In addition to challenging the Citizenship by Investment Program, the Turkish opposition seeks to revoke Citizenship by Investment for 238,000 Syrian refugees who were allegedly granted Turkish citizenship unlawfully. The İYİ Party contends that these citizenship grants were made in violation of existing laws and that their lawsuits are "based on concrete evidence."
Dervişoğlu emphasized that "Turkey is not a coupon land," and vowed that the party would fight against any attempt to turn the country into a refugee camp.
Citizenship by Investment: Presidential Decrees Challenged
The Turkish opposition seeks to revoke Citizenship by Investment by challenging the presidential decrees that were used to implement the program. The İYİ Party argues that these decrees contradict Turkey’s constitution and that citizenship conditions should be regulated strictly by law.
The party has intervened in a related lawsuit filed by the Union of Turkish Bar Associations at the 10th Chamber of the Council of State, contesting the amendments to the implementation regulations of Turkish Citizenship Law.
Political and Legal Implications for Citizenship by Investment
As the Turkish opposition seeks to revoke Citizenship by Investment, experts are divided on whether the lawsuits pose a real threat to foreign investors who have already obtained Turkish citizenship. Ahmet Şener, Managing Partner of Smart Citizenship, says it is too early to tell if the legal challenges will succeed. He believes that the İYİ Party’s primary focus is on revoking citizenship for Syrian refugees rather than targeting CIP investors.
"There is no immediate evidence that approved CIP applicants are at risk," Şener noted. "The focus of this legal battle is largely political."
Aran Hawker, Managing Partner of CIP Turkey, also believes that the lawsuit is politically motivated. He emphasized that the Turkish opposition seeks to revoke Citizenship by Investment as part of a broader effort to gain political ground after losing influence in the recent elections.
"This is more about gaining attention by focusing on refugees," Hawker said. "The inclusion of the Citizenship by Investment Program is a way to appear neutral and broaden the appeal."
Impact on Investors and the Future of CIP
While the Turkish opposition seeks to revoke Citizenship by Investment, industry experts remain optimistic that approved investors are unlikely to face any legal repercussions. The consensus among legal experts is that the Citizenship by Investment Program operates under a universal law, making it difficult for these legal challenges to succeed.
As the Turkish opposition seeks to revoke Citizenship by Investment, the outcome of these lawsuits could influence Turkey’s approach to foreign investment and its broader immigration policies. For now, investors in Turkey’s Citizenship by Investment Program can watch the situation closely, but the legal experts assure that there is no immediate threat to their status.
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