Turkey prepares to join EU in a building confiscated from the Orthodox

AsiaNews.it reports:

...the headquarters of the Secretariat for the entry of Turkey into the European Union is a building confiscated from the Orthodox Christian community in the 90s. The building is located in Istanbul, in the well-known area of Ortakoy, under the first bridge over the Bosphorus.

Before the seizure, the building was used as a primary school for children of the minority Orthodox...

The community is taking the matter to court:

The community of Ortakoy appealed to the administrative courts in Istanbul, which have yet to rule on the issue. In case of a ruling to the contrary, the Orthodox intend to apply to the court in Strasbourg.

Well at least the court in Strasbourg would have something serious to do. But given that they have a tendency to rule in favour of secularism (it voted several times to uphold Turkish secularist ruling against the majority Muslims and recently made Italy pay a fine for having crosses in schools) I am skeptical that a faith based school case would impress them. But that is only my opinion, the outcome might be a surprise to my pessimism.

Meanwhile in Brussels some discomfort is spreading towards politicians who are champions of Turkey’s entry into the EU. Ankara has not yet shown a convincing European orientation, it is believed that the 'champions' are tied to the country by economic and financial interests.

There are no other interests in this, pure and simple.

One suggestion for resolving the issue comes from Lakis Vigas, representative of minorities in Turkey in the General Directorate of Foundations. Interviewed by the newspaper Milliyet on the case of Ortakoy, he says a possible solution would be if the Ortakoy foundation were granted the possibility to lease the building to the Turkish nation. This gesture would have a noble purpose: the entry of Turkey into the EU the 'source of our hopes.'

As I indicate here, the hopes Lakis Vigas talks about might not be shared by many of his Turkish neighbours. His Turkish neighbours might also be aware of the dangers, 'minority' hopes might pose to their oppressive hegemony, as I argue here.