WRITTEN QUESTION No. 3581/98 by Alexandros ALAVANOS to the Commission. Measures by the Turkish authorities against the Theological School of Chalki
Date: 1998-12-03
Institutions: ALAVANOS, European Parliament
Subjects: Christianity, Greece, Türkiye, freedom of religious beliefs, protection of minorities, religious discrimination, theology

28.6.1999

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 182/101

(1999/C 182/134)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3581/98

by Alexandros Alavanos (GUE/NGL) to the Commission

(3 December 1998)

Subject: Measures by the Turkish authorities against the Theological School of Chalki

The Turkish authorities have abolished the Supervisory Committee of the Theological School of Chalki with
the dual objective of weakening the Oecumenical Patriarchate and intimidating Greeks in Turkey so that they
withdraw from the administrative boards of foundations which administer Greek property and it becomes
vacant.

Patriarch Bartholomaios has condemned this measure, and the American Administration has already
announced its intention of making representations to Turkey about it.

Since the latest unacceptable measures taken against the Patriarchate by the Turkish authorities represent a
flagrant violation of human rights, religious freedom, equality before the law and justice, will the Commission
say whether it intends to condemn them and take whatever steps are necessary to enable the Theological
School of Chalki to function again and to obtain the revocation of the decision abolishing the Supervisory
Committee of the School?

Joint answer
to Written Questions E-3566/98 and E-3581/98
given by Mr van den Broek on behalf of the Commission

(23 December 1998)

The Commission is aware of the recent dismissal of the board of directors of the Chalki theological school in
Istanbul.

The Commission is concerned by these new developments which have inevitable consequences for human
rights in Turkey and in particular for the situation of religious minorities in that country.

The Commission closely follows all aspects of the situation of human rights in Turkey. In its first regular report
on progress made by Turkey towards accession, adopted on 4 November 1998, the Commission underlined
the problems presented in this regard and the necessity to improve the current situation. In this context, the
Commission fully agrees with the conclusions of the European Council held in Luxembourg in December
1997 and which recalled that ‘strengthening Turkey’s links with the European Union also depends on that
country’s pursuit of the political reforms on which it has embarked, including the respect for and protection of
minorities ... .’

In all its contacts with the Turkish authorities, and despite the decision taken by Ankara to suspend any
political dialogue with the Union, the Commission is determined to continue to express its concerns on these
matters.

(1999/C 182/135)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3567/98

by Konstantinos Hatzidakis (PPE) to the Commission

(1 December 1998)

Subject: Traffic in women from Eastern and Central Europe to the European Union

In recent years there has been an alarming increase in the trafficking of women, mainly from Eastern and
Central Europe, for prostitution in various Member States of the Union, including Greece. Recently, in fact, this
phenomenon has assumed alarming proportions in Greece. One of the aims of heading B3-4109 of the
Community budget is to provide funding for measures to combat this problem.