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ABOLISHMENT OF GOV'T REGULATION LEAVES MINORITY FOUNDATIONS IN LIMBO
Today's Zaman, Turkey
Oct 15 2014
Turkey's minority foundations have been unable to elect presidents
for almost two years as the Directorate General for Foundations (VGM)
has failed to draft a new regulation following the annulment of the
previous one, a daily has reported.
The issue has been taken to the courts by four representatives of
the Greek minority community, the Bugun daily reported on Wednesday.
Katina Evdokiye Veriopoulos, Evdoksia Galanopoulo, Keti Vucas and
Evangelos Mihailidis applied to the Bakırköy 7th Civil Court of
First Instance claiming that the VGM had failed to deal with the
issue either intentionally or out of neglect, according to the report.
The regulation, enacted in 2008, was annulled in January of 2013
purportedly due to concerns over conflict regarding unearned income
from real estate owned by minority foundations.
The third section of the regulation pertaining to the constituency
of the elections, Article 29 regarding the creation of a board of
directors and election period, Article 30 concerning the conditions
of voter eligibility and Article 33 regarding election procedure had
been abolished by the VGM.
Cem Murat Sofuoglu, the lawyer of the four Greek community members,
stated that his clients had requested that the judge intervene and
elect the administrators if the foundation members themselves were
not allowed to, the report said.
A request was made to reach a decision and determine the election
procedures at the Balıklı Rum Hospital Foundation; one of three
hospitals belonging to the Greek minority community which has had the
same president for 23 years. In the application it was stated that
the democratically elected board had been in place since 1991. "There
have been no elections since 1991. The current administration does not
even inform the Greek community about its decisions. The 90-year-old
president, Dimitri Karayanni, has been assuming the role of foundation
president for 23 years."
Leaders of foundations, opinion leaders express concern over inability
to elect administrators
Representative of minority foundations at the Foundations Council,
a branch of the VGM, Laki Vingas resigned from his post due to the
abolishment of the regulation 22 months ago.
Vingas stated that he "resigned because he wasn't able to
conscientiously approve of the situation." He also remarked that then
Deputy Prime Minister Bulent Arınc contacted and assured him that the
problem would be solved and that he should withdraw his resignation.
"I believed him, trusted him and withdrew my resignation but no new
regulation has been passed," Vingas said, adding: "Some foundations
aren't able to reach decisions. Administrative problems are arising.
Those with terms filled are unable to operate. This type of situation
causes rifts in small communities such as ours."
Jewish community leader Silvyo Ovadya stated: "I don't understand why
the regulation is not drafted. Elections aren't able to take place
because of this. Without elections the foundations will become like
czardoms. They will be able to rule the foundations as they wish as
no one can be elected."
Around 45,000 members of the 60,000-strong Armenian population
in Turkey are thought to reside in Ä°stanbul. The community has 55
churches, a nursery and 17 primary schools in addition to the Armenian
Church. Likewise, 22,000 of the 25,000 members of the Jewish community
in Turkey live in Ä°stanbul. The Jewish community has 36 synagogues,
three schools, 18 foundations and two hospitals. In addition,
a 4,000-strong Greek population runs 15 primary schools, six high
schools, with two newspapers published in Greek, 75 foundations and
90 out of a total of 108 places of worship still under use.
http://www.todayszaman.com/national_abolishment-of-govt-regulation-leaves-minority-foundations-in-limbo_361716.html
From: Baghdasarian
Today's Zaman, Turkey
Oct 15 2014
Turkey's minority foundations have been unable to elect presidents
for almost two years as the Directorate General for Foundations (VGM)
has failed to draft a new regulation following the annulment of the
previous one, a daily has reported.
The issue has been taken to the courts by four representatives of
the Greek minority community, the Bugun daily reported on Wednesday.
Katina Evdokiye Veriopoulos, Evdoksia Galanopoulo, Keti Vucas and
Evangelos Mihailidis applied to the Bakırköy 7th Civil Court of
First Instance claiming that the VGM had failed to deal with the
issue either intentionally or out of neglect, according to the report.
The regulation, enacted in 2008, was annulled in January of 2013
purportedly due to concerns over conflict regarding unearned income
from real estate owned by minority foundations.
The third section of the regulation pertaining to the constituency
of the elections, Article 29 regarding the creation of a board of
directors and election period, Article 30 concerning the conditions
of voter eligibility and Article 33 regarding election procedure had
been abolished by the VGM.
Cem Murat Sofuoglu, the lawyer of the four Greek community members,
stated that his clients had requested that the judge intervene and
elect the administrators if the foundation members themselves were
not allowed to, the report said.
A request was made to reach a decision and determine the election
procedures at the Balıklı Rum Hospital Foundation; one of three
hospitals belonging to the Greek minority community which has had the
same president for 23 years. In the application it was stated that
the democratically elected board had been in place since 1991. "There
have been no elections since 1991. The current administration does not
even inform the Greek community about its decisions. The 90-year-old
president, Dimitri Karayanni, has been assuming the role of foundation
president for 23 years."
Leaders of foundations, opinion leaders express concern over inability
to elect administrators
Representative of minority foundations at the Foundations Council,
a branch of the VGM, Laki Vingas resigned from his post due to the
abolishment of the regulation 22 months ago.
Vingas stated that he "resigned because he wasn't able to
conscientiously approve of the situation." He also remarked that then
Deputy Prime Minister Bulent Arınc contacted and assured him that the
problem would be solved and that he should withdraw his resignation.
"I believed him, trusted him and withdrew my resignation but no new
regulation has been passed," Vingas said, adding: "Some foundations
aren't able to reach decisions. Administrative problems are arising.
Those with terms filled are unable to operate. This type of situation
causes rifts in small communities such as ours."
Jewish community leader Silvyo Ovadya stated: "I don't understand why
the regulation is not drafted. Elections aren't able to take place
because of this. Without elections the foundations will become like
czardoms. They will be able to rule the foundations as they wish as
no one can be elected."
Around 45,000 members of the 60,000-strong Armenian population
in Turkey are thought to reside in Ä°stanbul. The community has 55
churches, a nursery and 17 primary schools in addition to the Armenian
Church. Likewise, 22,000 of the 25,000 members of the Jewish community
in Turkey live in Ä°stanbul. The Jewish community has 36 synagogues,
three schools, 18 foundations and two hospitals. In addition,
a 4,000-strong Greek population runs 15 primary schools, six high
schools, with two newspapers published in Greek, 75 foundations and
90 out of a total of 108 places of worship still under use.
http://www.todayszaman.com/national_abolishment-of-govt-regulation-leaves-minority-foundations-in-limbo_361716.html
From: Baghdasarian