Wednesday, June 16, 2010

European Court Rules That Turkey Must Return Former Greek Orphanage to Greek Patriarchate

The Asia News website reports today (June 16, 2010) that the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg ruled in a unanimous decision that Turkey must return the former Greek Orphanage on Buyukada Island -- the largest of the Princes' Islands -- back to Fener Greek Patriarchate.

This concludes the long legal case between the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople and Turkish authorities.

The case had begun in 1997 when Turkey tried to take the building away from the Patriarchate in order to upgrade the area without compensation.

The ruling is of critical importance in that it clearly recognizes the legal status of the Patriarchate. Turkey has never recognized the Ecumenical Patriarchate, despite recently improved relations between Ankara and the Fener (the Istanbul neighborhood where the Patriarchate is located). Turkey must now recognize the Ecumenical Patriarchate as a result of the European Court's ruling.

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