Turkey’s state minister Bagis meets with Patriarch Mutafian

Turkey's state minister and key negotiator over Turkey's accession to the European Union Egemen Bagis has visited a gravely ill Patriarch Mesrob Mutafian of the Constantinople Patriarchy of the Armenian Apostolic Church in Istanbul.

Due to Mutafian’s illness, Armenian community elected last week a co-patriarch. According to a report by Turkish newspaper Milliyet, Egemen Bagis also met with newly elected leader, Aram Ateshian, and congratulated him on election.

Referring to the Constitutional Referendum scheduled for September 12, Egemen Bagis expressed hope that the day will become critical for Turkey’s way towards the European integration. Turkey should step back from a military-written Constitution, Bagis reportedly said citing the examples of Greece, Portugal and Italy which before tried to access to the EU and failed as they had a military constitution. Meanwhile, these countries got across the footlights after reforms in constitutions.

It’s worth mentioning that Egemen Bagis’ meetings at the Armenian Patriarchy were held behind closed doors and lasted nearly two hours.