On March 1, the Istanbul Armenian Leo Suren Alepli was appointed expert in Turkey’s accession talks with the EU, Egemen Bagis, Chief Negotiator of Turkey in accession talks with the European Union (EU), told journalists before leaving for Portugal.

In 2009, a contest was announced for experts. Two Armenians, citizens of Turkey, applied for participation.

Leo Suren Alepli passed oral and written exams, Bagis said. However, his appointment was postponed because one of the participants applied to court for cancelation of the examination results.

A law adopted in Turkey in 1926 prohibits non-Moslem citizens from holding government posts.