19/06/2006 (Agence Europe) -Antonios Trakatellis and Giorgios Dimitrakopoulos, Greek members of the EPP-ED group of the European Parliament, have stated their satisfaction at the response given by the Council of the EU to their written question on the confiscation of the monastery of St George Koudounas by the Turkish authorities and, more generally, the violation of religious freedom in Turkey. In a press release, the two MEPs reported that in its reply, the Austrian Presidency acknowledged the problems which religious minorities and communities continue to face in Turkey, and listed the areas in which Turkey must apply the relevant legal provisions, in order to respect the rights of these communities: legal personality, property rights, the right to religious education, and more. The Council assures the MEPs that developments in Turkey in the field of religious freedom are being closely followed, and that Ankara must legislate in order to find a solution to the difficulties faced by non-Muslim religious communities. "It is without any doubt that the violation of religious freedom becomes a major obstacle for the Turkish accession process and the Council makes clear that concrete proofs of compliance are needed before the progress report (of the European Commission) of the end of this year", the two MEPs conclude.