In countries like Turkey, issues such as minority rights/freedoms andreligious rights/freedoms are generally considered painful topics of domesticand foreign policy mainly because there is usually a general belief that suchissues are “imposed” by external actors like the EU and the United States.The Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Istanbul and HeybeliadaTheological School (Halki Seminary), have been targets of the nationalist and/orconservative religious media for a long time. Additionally, the traditionalwidespread acceptance of these institutions as Turkish by the successive Turkishgovernments, and the perception of the issue within the framework of“reciprocity” between Turkey and Greece, made these issues “chronic” topics ofTurkish domestic and foreign policy. However, it is difficult to say that Turkishpublic opinion as a whole share the same view on this issue. Especially since2002, the Justice and Development Party government, created hopes andexpectations that actual steps would be taken towards the problematic title of“ecumenical” of the Patriarchate and the reopening of Heybeliada TheologicalSchool. Yet, the JDP government like its predecessors, does not recognize theecumenicity of the Patriarchate and continues to point out the reciprocityunderstanding regarding the opening of the Theological School.