The "Turkish nationalists" were protesting -- violently -- the planned reopening of the one and only Orthodox seminary in Turkey. This despite the fact that, according to Turkish law, the Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople must be a Turkish citizen, born and raised in Turkey. All this is evidence of the fact that the slow strangulation of non-Muslim communities, as mandated by classic Islamic laws that forbid dhimmis to repair old churches or build new ones, is still very much part of the program of "secular" Turkey, both in its legal structures and in the minds of its citizens.
Turkey will make a marvelous addition to the European Union, won't it?
From EU Business, with thanks to Peter and Andy:
Nearly 1,000 protesters marched to the headquarters of the Greek Orthodox Church in Istanbul on Sunday and burned an effigy of the Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I.Clashes erupted between stone-throwing protesters, who were responding to an appeal from the ultra-nationalist National Action Party, and riot police, who fired tear gas.
The marchers were protesting in particular the planned reopening of the only Orthodox seminary in Turkey, closed since 1971, as part of the government's overall initiative to gain entry to the European Union.
Yeah, descendants of old Ottoman Empire still abound in so called 'secular' Turkey. Note Turks are still cutting off the heads of Kurds who dare to protest about lack of rights. Erdogan made a statement recently, defending introducing a Fundamentalist Law on Adultery. As a 'pious Muslim,' he said. Would prefer Erdogan and 70 million other 'Pious Muslims' were refused entry
to EU.
What's more, at 68 million, turkish population would vault to the no.2 position within the EU states and would command disproportionate power and decisionmaking on the basis of nothing more than sheer, overfed size.
Turkish designsfor EU need to be thoroughly exposed and repulsed.
So Turkey's pathetic PR ploy, an attempt to prove the ecumenicality of their nation for the EU's benefit, seems to have backfired.
Their only miscalculation?
The intransigence and hostility of the population towards non-Muslims.
Citizens of Europe: make their error count.
Geoff
Like a christian and a catholic, I´m feeling a lot of fear with this, this seminary is closed since 1971, and it has to be reopened now, in addition Turkey hasn´t recognized yet the catholic church as institution, Turkey wants to criminilise the adultery and now the last declarations of Erdogan, this is very, very frightened, and Europe has to refuse the entry of this country, I´m optimistic because France and Germany are against, in this country CDU, who is opposition, but in two years it will be in the government is very against. Greetings
Greek press article that reveals some of the protest chants
"Tayyip, do not forget Menderes", remember "the good days of the past", were some of the slogans.
Both comments are refering to the pogrom against the Greek community in Turkey during September 6-7 1955. Adnan Menderes was the Prime Minister of Turkey at that time.
If anyone is interested, Greek-American historian Speros Vryonis is working on a book on this 1955 pogrom.