ISTANBUL (Agenzia Fides) – According to news reports on April 25, Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew wants to meet President Tayyip Erdogan to talk about the status of the Patriarchate, and above all would like clarification on the recent episodes that seem to contradict and negate the effectiveness of previous legislation regarding the restitution of goods to minority religious communities, which had been unlawfully expropriated in the past by Turkish authorities.

At a recent press conference, the Ecumenical Patriarch noted that relations between the Turkish authorities and religious minorities are again experiencing a critical moment, and the issue of the patriarchal theological Institute of Halki has been raised again. The Turkish parliament enacted a law banning private higher education institutions in 1971. According to local sources consulted by Agenzia Fides, Patriarch Bartholomew has announced that a letter will be sent to Erdogan to ask for an appointment to talk directly with the Turkish president on the issue of the Halki School and more generally on the problems of religious minorities in Turkey.