“Official Gazette” of the Turkish Government issued Turkish Prime Minister’s decree on August 28, according to which the property of ethnic minorities, taken away in 1936 and confiscated by the decision of the Court of Cassation in 1975, will be returned to their original owners.
According to the decision, the real estate, owned by 162 foundations of national minorities must be returned to funds of the national minorities living in Turkey within 12 months. The minority groups will be paid market value for property that was sold to third parties, Aksam newspaper reports. Only 30 facilities owned by the fund of the Armenian churches should be returned to Armenians.