WRITTEN QUESTION E-1635/03 by Ioannis Marínos (PPE-DE) to the Council. Property of non-Muslim communities in Turkey.
Date: 2003-05-15
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: EU relations, Türkiye, accession criteria, accession to the European Union, association agreement (EU), confiscation of property, freedom of religious beliefs, land and buildings, religious group

26.2.2004

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 51 E/119

Reply

(2 October 2003)

The Council has recently become aware of the reports referred to in the question of DPRK involvement in
drug activities in the Asia/Pacific region. The Council, so far, has not learnt about such incidents in Europe.

The Council has not yet taken any formal position on this particular question. The Council is, in general,
totally opposed to any such drug trafficking in any form. It will continue to monitor the situation.

(2004/C 51 E/134)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1634/03

by Carlos Coelho (PPE-DE) to the Council

(15 May 2003)

Subject: Discrimination on grounds of nationality

The European Community’s development is no longer confined to the economic sphere. The Community
is now made up of 375 million people, who are not merely consumers in a large single market, but also
citizens of the European Union who have the right to move freely within the EU and to settle in any part
of that Union for personal or professional reasons and who hope they can live without fear of being
discriminated against in any way.

I have been contacted by a Portuguese national who has opted for an international career with Shell
Accounting Service in Glasgow, and has been living and working in the United Kingdom (Scotland) for
some two years. He maintains that he has been discriminated against on account of his nationality by the
Halifax Bank (a member of the Bank of Scotland group), which has rejected his request for his bank
account to be ‘upgraded’ on the grounds that this is only possible once a person has been resident in the
country for three years. As an EU citizen, does he not have the same rights and duties as a UK national?

Article 12 of the EC Treaty stipulates that ‘within the scope of this Treaty, and without prejudice to any
special provisions contained therein, any discrimination on grounds of nationality shall be prohibited’.
Does the Council agree that the Halifax Bank’s policy may be considered discriminatory in that it is
contrary to the very essence of the European Union and constitutes a clear violation of the principle of
non-discrimination enshrined in the Treaty?

Reply

(2 October 2003)

The Council agrees with the Honourable Member as to the importance of prohibiting all forms of
discrimination on grounds of nationality, as stipulated in Article 12 of the EC Treaty.

However, it is not for the Council to comment on the situation reported in the question.

(2004/C 51 E/135)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1635/03

by Ioannis Marínos (PPE-DE) to the Council

(15 May 2003)

Subject: Property of non-Muslim communities in Turkey

There are non-Muslim communities in Turkey (Greek Christian Orthodox, Armenians, Jews, Catholics etc.)
with various institutions which own property. For decades, Turkey has pursued a policy (cid:1) using various

C 51 E/120

Official Journal of the European Union

EN

26.2.2004

legal and other stratagems (cid:1) to deprive those institutions of their property. The result of this tactic is that
the Greek minority’s institutions (which are recognised in Turkish law) are being stripped of their real
estate.

Recently (cid:1) following pressure from the EU (cid:1) Turkey announced that there would be changes in the way
it dealt with these institutions to bring the Turkish administration into line with EU practice. Despite this,
representatives of the Greek community in Istanbul are vigorously protesting that the whole affair is
developing into the legalisation of the unlawful confiscation of property since the Turkish administration
has declared that it is not prepared to recognise acquired rights and, in particular, the ownership of land
confiscated from property owned by the non-Muslim communities in Turkey. According to the official
register drawn up in 1923, the Greek minority’s institutions in Istanbul owned a total of 11 000 plots of
land. The administrations of the minority’s institutions recently sent the Turkish administration a list of
1 700 institutions owning land but the Turkish authorities replied that they would only grant applications
in respect of far fewer than those 1 700.

What view does the Council take of the Turkish administration’s tactics? Are they totally consistent with
applicable EU rules on the protection of minority institutions’ rights to own property? Is the Council
satisfied with the recent changes announced by the Turkish Government? How will the Council respond to
secure effective protection for the property of all the non-Muslim communities in Turkey? Will the Council
make a settlement of this problem one of the conditions of opening negotiations for the accession of
Turkey to the EU?

Reply

(2 October 2003)

The Council is fully aware of the precarious situation of non-muslim communities in Turkey, and of
1.
the particular problem as regards property. The way in which the Turkish authorities, namely the General
Directorate for Foundations (VGM), are dealing with the matter is raising serious concern. The changes
which can be expected from the forthcoming 6th reform package appear to be limited to extending post-
facto the deadline for the submission of property registration claims. Such an extension could appear
unsufficient to address the real problem.

2.
The Honourable Member may note that the Council attaches a very high importance to this issue. In
all recent meetings with Turkey in the framework of the Association Agreement and of political dialogue,
the Council has pointed to the restrictiveness of the regime applicable to religious foundations and urged
Turkey to take a different approach. The current worrying developments are being followed with the
closest attention. The Honourable Member may be assured that the Council will respond to the situation
and do its best to help protection of the property of non-muslim communities in Turkey.

3.
As regards the question whether the opening of accession negotiations with Turkey is linked to this
problem, the Honourable Member is referred to the revised Turkey Accession Partnership which contains a
specific priority on freedom of religion. Under this priority, Turkey is required to establish conditions for
the functioning of religious communities which are in line with the practice of EU Member States. It is
specified that this includes the enjoyment of property rights in line with Protocol No 1 of the European
Convention on Human Rights.

(2004/C 51 E/136)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1654/03

by Juan Naranjo Escobar (PPE-DE) to the Commission

Subject: Aid to displaced populations in Latin American countries

(16 May 2003)

The Commission informed the budgetary authority about commitment appropriations carried over from
2002-2003 in accordance with Article 9(2)(a) of the Financial Regulation, but they have been partially or
totally cancelled because the Commission was unable to commit
the funds before 31 March.
The appropriations carried over totalled EUR 22,5 million, EUR 16 million of which was committed,
which means that EUR 6,4 million were cancelled automatically.