Ministry's statement: the churches in Sur won't be closed down
Ministry of Environment and Urban Planning stated that the churches in Sur province of Diyarbakir will be restored in accordance with their original condition and they are not considering using those buildings for any other purpose.
After the
clashes in Sur, the cabinet made an urgent expropriation decision on
March 25. This decision included the churches in Sur. HDP Istanbul MP
Garo Paylan brought this decision to
the parliament and asked Ministry of Environment and Urban Planning
about the grounds for expropriation and the future of the churches.
The Ministry responded to Paylan's parliamentary question and stated that the churches won't be closed down and destroying the cultural heritage in the region is out of question.
The Ministry reminded the Reconstruction Plan for Protection that was prepared for Sur in 2012 and stated that all renovation and reconstruction work will be done in accordance with that plan.
