Law No. 5516 on swamp drying and land acquired through drying process. Country/Territory Türkiye Document type Legislation Date 1950 Source FAO, FAOLEX Original source Yayimlandigi R. Gazete No. 7413, 23 November 1950. Subject Land & soil, Water Keyword Abandoned land/unoccupied land Drainage/land reclamation Right of use Soil rehabilitation Land-use planning Wetlands Agricultural development Authorization/permit Expropriation Water rights Water users' associations Irrigation Geographical area Asia, Black Sea, Europe, Europe and Central Asia, Mediterranean, Middle East, Western Asia Abstract The objective of this Law which includes 14 articles is to define the registration procedure of marshy lands. Those who wish to acquire land through drying marshy lands that are not possessed by anyone will apply to the relevant Governor, who shall then ask the Prime Ministry whether drying can be made by the State or not. If so, drying should be made within 4 years otherwise it will be considered as being renounced from this right. If drying will not be made by the State then the case will be communicated to the villages and water users' unions in the area. Priority will be for them. If the response from those villages or water users' unions is negative then the case will be passed to previously applied private entrepreneurs. Negotiations will be made on the proportion of the area to be left to the Government after drying process. Details of this procedure are given in the Law. Dried lands will be then be registered to the name of the contractor. Full text English