Expert: creating precedent core of Turkey’s decision to return Christian properties

PanARMENIAN.Net - The most important aspect of Turkey’s decision to return properties to the national minorities confiscated in 1936-1974 is setting up a precedent, a Turkologist said.

“It is of great significance in world practice,” Artak Shakaryan told a press conference in Yerevan, noting that Turkey took the step under the pressure of Europe.

According to him, Turkey thoroughly calculates all its actions.

Expert Hakob Chakryan, in turn, noted that before Erdogan’s decision, Turkish authorities confiscated and grabbed the properties of national minorities.

On August 28, Turkey’s Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan signed a decree on returning the property of Christian and European communities confiscated after 1936, particularly those of religious entities and sanctuaries. According to the Armenian National Committee of America, Turkish authorities will return less that 1% of the property of the Armenian churches. Historical reports show that less than 50 Armenian churches out of 2000 are functioning in Turkey.