Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople Bartholomew I in his speech in the Turkish Parliament demanded equal rights for the religious minorities. The Patriarch was asked to express his viewpoint on the new draft Constitution which will come into effect this year.

Turkish media outlets paid attention to the unprecedented visit of the Christian religious leader to the Parliament. On the same day head of the Jacobite-Syrian Christian Church delivered a speech. There also will be consultations with Armenian and Jewish communities. 

The Patriarch stated that Christianity is still discriminated in Turkey and Christians are considered as second-class citizens. He believes the amendments will bring changes.

“The only thing we want is equality,” he said adding some issues still need to be settled, Sibirskaya katolicheskaya gazeta (Siberian Catholic Newspaper) reports.