Turkey returns 1,014 properties to minority foundations

Within the context of reforms toward different faith groups in Turkey, 1,014 confiscated foundation properties have been returned to minority foundations. According to information obtained from the Prime Ministry's Office of Public Diplomacy, a 60-acre property that belonged to the Mor Gabriel Foundation was returned to the Syriac community in 2013. A statement from the Office of Public Diplomacy indicated that the land of the Mor Gabriel Monastery is the largest land to be returned to foundations since the process of returning seized goods belonging to minority foundations started in 2011. A 42,259-square-meter land that belonged to the Foundation of Yedikule Surp Pırgiç Armenian Hospital was one of the larger restitutions. The Office of Public Diplomacy underlined that the evaluation process for some other 150 properties is still ongoing. Furthermore, the restoration process of houses of prayer used by communities of different faiths also accelerated. The Sumela Monastery in Trabzon and Holy Cross Church on Aghtamar in Van, St. Giragos Armenian Church in Diyarbakır, the Church of St. Mary of Blachernae and Surp Vortvots Vorodman Church, which belongs to the Mektebi Foundation, were also reconstructed and opened to worship in recent years.

Currently, 165 community foundations are actively operating in Turkey. Of these 165 foundations the Greek community owns 76, the Armenian community owns 53, the Jewish community owns 19, the Syriac community owns 10, the Chaldean community owns three, the Bulgarian community owns two, the Georgian community owns one and the Maronite community owns one.