"Turkey may Reopen Halki Seminary" - Hurriyet Daily News

Turkey considering reopening of Halki Seminary, minister says

The Greek Orthodox Halki (Heybeliada) Seminary in İstanbul, the only school where the Greek minority in Turkey used to educate its clergymen, was closed in 1971 during a period of tension with Greece. (Photo: Cihan; Usame Arı)

31 July 2013 /TODAYSZAMAN.COM, İSTANBUL

Turkish Justice Minister Sadullah Ergin has said the Turkish government is considering reopening the Greek Orthodox seminary on Heybeliada, a demand which has long been pursued by Turkey's Greek community.

The Greek Patriarchate is an institution under the protection of international law as guaranteed by the Treaty of Lausanne. It has long complained about the status of the Halki Seminary as well as other property issues. Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I has repeatedly said that the reopening of the seminary is of vital importance to the survival of the Greek Orthodox clergy.
Established in 1844 on the island of Heybeliada off İstanbul, Halki Seminary was closed in 1971 under a law that placed religious and military training under state control. The EU and the US frequently criticize Turkey for not reopening Halki Seminary -- which experts say is related to Turkey's interpretation of secularism.
Speaking on a TV program on Wednesday, Minister Ergin said: "The re-opening of the Halki Seminary is among the many topics currently being discussed [during the drafting of the new constitution]. We will all see the results. It is a political decision. The Halki Seminary might be opened."