Ankara, Turkey - Plans by the ruling Justice and Development (AK) Party government to reopen the Heybeliada Seminary to Orthodox worshipers from around the world were blocked yesterday by dissent from within the party itself as well as opposition parties.
Debates were sparked after an unexpected motion, submitted by Industry and Commerce Minister Ali Coskun, was passed, and created tension within the AK Party as well.
AK Party deputies grew wary about the motion after warnings from main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) deputies, but the fact that the motion was submitted by Coskun troubled AK Party deputies. The AK Party's deputy group leader said on Wednesday that the bill was to be amended on Thursday. However yesterday debates on the bill on private educational institutions were postponed. AK Party officials stressed that the motion was submitted by Coskun, adding, "Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul is abroad and Education Minister Huseyin Celik is outside Ankara. The ministers should solve the issue among themselves after Gul and Celik return to Ankara. The motion to amend the bill can be debated on Tuesday."
At the session yesterday, which wasn't attended by Celik because he was on a domestic visit with Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Industry and Commerce Minister Ali Coskun submitted an unexpected motion. Coskun's motion wasn't disclosed to either ruling Justice and Development (AK) Party or main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) deputies. The motion about the seminary was passed after a rapid vote by Deputy Parliament Speaker Sadik Yakut, who chaired the session. Following that, the CHP deputies claimed that the 1923 Treaty of Lausanne had been violated, as well as the reciprocity principle with Greece.
The motion submitted by Coskun proposes a change in the definition of minority schools. "Minority schools: Preschool, primary and secondary education institutions founded by Turkish citizens that belong to non-Muslim minorities, are protected under the Treaty of Lausanne and educate students with Turkish nationality or foreign nationals who belong to minority groups or are of the same religion and ethnicity as a minority group," said the motion.
The motion proposes the removal of the phrase "founded by Greek, Armenian and Jewish minorities" from the second article of the bill, saying that it is necessary to do so to harmonize it with the terminology of the Treaty of Lausanne. The reasoning for the motion said that the terms "Greek" and "Armenian" are ethnic, while the term "Jewish" is religious. Coskun said, in the reasoning for the motion, that the related articles of the Treaty of Lausanne don't say that students who belong to non-Muslim minorities and aren't Turkish nationals can't attend minority schools.
CHP Deputy Mustafa Gazalci asserted that the motion expanded the scope of minority schools, adding, "The Treaty of Lausanne may have been violated. The Foreign Ministry's opinion should be sought. The principle of reciprocity might have been violated. The motion would make it possible for all people belonging to non-Muslim minority groups to set up schools and for the establishment of schools that foreign national students could attend."
True Path Party (DYP) Deputy Ummet Kandogan also criticized Coskun, saying, "We look at the motions you submit; what's the reason for Coskun's interest in foreigners? I claim that if this bill were proposed by another party in power, you would demolish this Parliament. I know all of you. What's happened to you that you remain silent when such a motion is brought up? Why do you insist on making mistakes?"
For his part, CHP Sinop Deputy Engin Altay asserted that the bill opens the way for missionary schools. After Altay said, "The bill makes electricity and water prices for private schools the same as for public schools. Make it the same as for mosques; it's cheaper," the AK Party asked him whether he has anything against mosques. In reply, Altay said, "I don't know whether you believe enough to question me. Don't ever attempt to teach us Islam."
"That's enough of things imposed by the European Union," said Altay. "My pride is hurt by them. I support EU accession, but it hurts my pride to harm our national interests. I believe these aren't harmonization but mortgage laws."
The motion would allow Greek, Armenian and Jewish students, who aren't Turkish citizens, to attend minority schools in Turkey. CHP deputy group leader Haluk Koc asked whether the term "Greek" will be removed from minority schools in Turkey, like "Turkish" was removed from schools in Western Thrace, Greece.
Justice Commission member Orhan Eraslan accused the AK Party of secretly opening seminaries. Eraslan claimed that the motion was passed at the request of the Fener Greek Orthodox Patriarchate to accept foreign students of the same religion and ethnicity, to reopen the seminary, which closed down because there weren't enough students at the school. Eraslan said that the AK Party government previously allowed the election of foreign members to the patriarchate's Holy Synod assembly and that the Fener Greek patriarch uses the title "Ecumenical Greek Patriarch of Constantinople."
"When will the Constantinople Greek state or a Byzantine Orthodox one be established on the historical peninsula after these adjustments?" asked Eraslan. "Are you aware that the changes violate the Treaty of Lausanne? When will you stop taking orders from the patriarch?"