Services are conducted only in 32 of the 48 Armenian churches in Turkey, the editor of the Agos newspaper (a bilingual Turkish-Armenian weekly) Aris Nalci told NEWS.am.

According to him, 48 Armenian foundations are also functioning in the country, with over 10 Armenian schools and 15 cultural centers. “About 3,000 schoolchildren attend 14 Armenian schools in Istanbul,” Nalci said. Unlike educational institutions of the other ethnic minorities, Armenian schools are financed by Armenian benefactors and foundations. For instance, Greek schools are financed by the Turkish Government.

“There is an agreement between the Turkish and Greek sides. According to it, the number of Greek schools in Turkey and Turkish schools in Greece is the same,” the editor added. Fortunately, there is not a similar agreement with the Armenian side, he said. Otherwise there would be no Armenian schools in Turkey at all. “I am happy that Armenian schools exist owing to Armenians, as they are independent and free institutions,” Nalci said.

As regards preservation of Armenian identity and cross marriages, he stressed that more Armenians have recently got married with representatives of other nations. “People are subject to globalization laws. Each thinks about himself first rather than about the community and the nation. This is any person’s right and, despite the community’s attitude, young people do what they think is right,” Aris Nalci concluded.