The Turkish government and the Patriarchate of Constantinople are working on a decision to resume operations at the seminary on the island of Halki

The decision to open a historic Orthodox theological school on the island of Halki falls exclusively within the purview of Turkey’s top political leadership. This was stated by the country’s Minister of National Education, Yusuf Tekin, who emphasized that the ministry is already fully prepared to implement the project provided there is the necessary political will.

According to the Orthodox Times website, the minister appeared on the CNN Türk program “Hakan Çelik ile Hafta Sonu,” where he explained the ministry’s position in detail. According to Tekin, the technical documentation and plans for resuming the seminary’s operations have already been prepared; however, the final decision falls outside the administrative authority of the education system.

The minister emphasized that the reopening of the Halki Seminary is a strategically significant issue affecting both the domestic and foreign policies of the Republic of Turkey. Tekin stressed: “If our President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and the government officials responsible for foreign policy determine that reopening the school will benefit the country, we are ready to immediately begin carrying out the necessary procedures.”

Thus, the fate of one of the oldest educational institutions in the Orthodox world remains the subject of political consultations at the highest level, while the Ministry of Education awaits directives from the president and the country’s foreign ministry.