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LEGAL STATUS OF MINORITIES TO BE NEGOTIATED IN ANKARA
Hurriyet Daily News, Turkey
May 2 2013
ISTANBUL - Hurriyet Daily News
by Vercihan Ziflioglu
The legal entity issue is one of the leading problems, says Vingas.
The legal status of Catholic foundations and other minority
institutions in Turkey will be negotiated at a conference in Ankara
on May 13.
Led by Laki Vingas, who is in charge of minority foundations in the
General Directorate of Foundations, the conference will begin at 10.30
a.m. on May 13 at Ankara University Political Science Faculty's Human
Rights Center. Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu, Interior Minister
Muammer Guler, EU Minister Egemen BagıÅ~_ and Foundation Director
General Adnan Ertem were invited to the meeting.
Many institutions belonging to religious or ethnic minorities such as
churches, cemeteries, and hospitals are deprived of legal entity rights
including the Fener Greek Patriarchate, Turkey's Armenian Patriarchate,
Jewish Chief Rabbi's Office, and various Catholic institutions. Vingas
said the issue of legal entity was one of the leading problems they
often came across.
"Over my five years in office, I observed that the institutions could
not work effectively due to the issue of legal status, and cannot
comply with today's conditions," Vingas said. "Formerly we used to
have difficulties in going to Ankara and expressing our problems
there. Now such a problem does not exist," Vingas said about the
location of the meeting.
"Patriarchates, chief rabbis, and Catholic churches do not have legal
status. There are political relations with Vatican; but still, Turkey
does not recognize churches," Vingas added.
"We are talking about institutions that have at least 150 years
of history. Not only religious institutions, also nursing homes,
hospitals, and cemeteries lack legal entity rights. We receive
complaints from Adana and Adıyaman with regards to cemeteries, but we
cannot do anything. We want to immediately discuss the problem and try
to offer solutions through dialogue," Vingas said. Vingas is currently
attempting to bring together all the foundations under a federation.
May/02/2013
Hurriyet Daily News, Turkey
May 2 2013
ISTANBUL - Hurriyet Daily News
by Vercihan Ziflioglu
The legal entity issue is one of the leading problems, says Vingas.
The legal status of Catholic foundations and other minority
institutions in Turkey will be negotiated at a conference in Ankara
on May 13.
Led by Laki Vingas, who is in charge of minority foundations in the
General Directorate of Foundations, the conference will begin at 10.30
a.m. on May 13 at Ankara University Political Science Faculty's Human
Rights Center. Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu, Interior Minister
Muammer Guler, EU Minister Egemen BagıÅ~_ and Foundation Director
General Adnan Ertem were invited to the meeting.
Many institutions belonging to religious or ethnic minorities such as
churches, cemeteries, and hospitals are deprived of legal entity rights
including the Fener Greek Patriarchate, Turkey's Armenian Patriarchate,
Jewish Chief Rabbi's Office, and various Catholic institutions. Vingas
said the issue of legal entity was one of the leading problems they
often came across.
"Over my five years in office, I observed that the institutions could
not work effectively due to the issue of legal status, and cannot
comply with today's conditions," Vingas said. "Formerly we used to
have difficulties in going to Ankara and expressing our problems
there. Now such a problem does not exist," Vingas said about the
location of the meeting.
"Patriarchates, chief rabbis, and Catholic churches do not have legal
status. There are political relations with Vatican; but still, Turkey
does not recognize churches," Vingas added.
"We are talking about institutions that have at least 150 years
of history. Not only religious institutions, also nursing homes,
hospitals, and cemeteries lack legal entity rights. We receive
complaints from Adana and Adıyaman with regards to cemeteries, but we
cannot do anything. We want to immediately discuss the problem and try
to offer solutions through dialogue," Vingas said. Vingas is currently
attempting to bring together all the foundations under a federation.
May/02/2013