ANKARA - National Education Minister Huseyin Celik said on Thursday that a commission which would be founded would examine the issue of reopening of Heybeliada seminary.
''I think that having a free education about Christian theology is and should be the necessity of the democratic structure of the Turkish Republic state,'' said Celik.
Fener Greek Patriarch Bartholomeos visited the same day National Education Minister Celik.
Bartholomeos said that he visited Celik on behalf of the Patriarchate and the Greek community in Turkey to request the reopening of Heybeliada Seminary and to give information to Celik about the difficulties of the Greek schools in Istanbul.
Noting that Celik listened to him with great understanding and patience, Bartholomeos stated that ''he told me that he would launch efforts to find a solution to these problems within the framework of laws as soon as possible. We are grateful to them. We are sure that the education of minorities in our country within the scope of democratic regime will get easier.''
Celik said that he listened to Bartholomeos and took his written application.
Stating that religion education could be given under the supervision and control of the state, he said that this rule was not peculiar to only one religion and it was also valid for Islam, Christianity and Judaism.
Celik said that they considered everyone who was citizen of Turkish Republic as equal on the condition that he/she fulfilled his/her citizenship responsibilities and complied with laws and stated that the government had to solve those problems.
''As I said earlier, I think that it is meaningless to oppose the issue of opening a school which will give education on theology of Christianity. Because, there are 24 faculties giving education on Islamic theology in the country. Thus, I think that giving education on Christian theology is a requirement of democratic structure of Turkish Republic and it should be,'' Celik noted.
Stating that the issue of seminary on Heybeliada had been on the agenda for 32 years, but it could not be solved yet, Celik said that they did not want to protract the issue any longer. Celik said that Special Education Directorate General and Teaching Board Chairmanship would examine the issue. Celik added that it was not a decision which would be taken today and stated that after examination on the issue, it would be made public.
Celik also quoted Bartholomeos as saying that because the population of Greek Orthodox minority decreased in Istanbul, many schools were closed and some of them were treated as of they were open although they had no students. Celik added that they would take required steps and inform them about the results if there was no legal obstacle to use those buildings belonging to Greek Orthodox community that were not used as schools, for other aims, and to rent or sell them.
(ÖŞ-EÖ-AÖ) 30.10.2003