WRITTEN QUESTION E-3014/00 by Christos Zacharakis (PPE-DE) and Antonios Trakatellis (PPE-DE) to the Commission. Violation of religious freedom in Turkey ‐ refusal to reopen the Halki Theological School.
Date: 2000-09-26
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: Türkiye, denominational education, freedom of religious beliefs, pre-accession strategy, religious discrimination

C 136 E/158

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

8.5.2001

(2001/C 136 E/184)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3014/00

by Christos Zacharakis (PPE-DE)
and Antonios Trakatellis (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(26 September 2000)

Subject: Violation of religious freedom in Turkey (cid:129) refusal to reopen the Halki Theological School

Mr Verheugen(cid:146)s letter of 26 July 2000 to the chairman of the EPP Group, Mr Poettering, concerning
religious freedom in Turkey, categorically states that the Turkish authorities(cid:146) refusal to reopen the Halki
Theological School constitutes a clear violation of the Treaty of Lausanne and calls on Turkey to respect
the obligations concerning the rights of the Greek and Armenian communities enshrined in that Treaty.

Will the Commission, therefore, say:

1. whether respect for and protection of religious freedom is expressly laid down as a condition under

the Copenhagen criteria,

2. whether it will urge the Turkish authorities to reopen the Halki Theological School and, should they

refuse to comply, what measures it will take,

3. how it is possible to encourage and support the pre-accession strategy for Turkey and the partnership
with that country when the Turkish authorities refuse to respect human rights and religious freedom,
and

4. whether it can approve the allocation of appropriations to Turkey under Regulation 764/2000
regarding the implementation of measures to intensify the EC-Turkey customs union (1), and the
forthcoming Regulation on the implementation of measures to promote economic and social
development in Turkey, when that country is in breach of the Treaty on European Union (Article 6)
and international treaties, and violates human rights and fundamental freedoms?

(1) OJ L 94, 14.4.2000, p. 6.

Answer given by Mr Verheugen on behalf of the Commission

(10 November 2000)

Respect for religious freedom is indeed one of the Copenhagen criteria that all candidate countries must
fulfil before accession negotiations can get under way.

As the Commission noted in its regular reports for 1998 and 1999, Turkey does not yet fulfil the political
criteria. The Commission found a number of restrictions on the exercise of religious freedom in Turkey
that would need to be eliminated before accession. Though the Commission report does not specifically
mention the reopening of the Halki Theological School, the issue must be seen in this context.

The aim of the pre-accession strategy approved at the Helsinki European Council is precisely to encourage
Turkey to adopt necessary political reforms. The accession partnership around which the strategy revolves
lays down short- and medium-term priorities the country must meet in order to satisfy the Copenhagen
criteria.

Since Turkey(cid:146)s candidate-country status was confirmed its financial assistance from the Community has
been geared to preparing for accession.