A Turkish court ruled against the suit of Zeytinburnu Municipality (Istanbul), leaving in force the decision to return a 42,000 square-meter area to the Holy Savior (Surp Prgich) Armenian hospital.

In early 2014, Turkey’s Directorate General of Foundations made a decision to return to the Holy Savior Armenian hospital, in the Zeytinburnu district, a 42,000 square-meter land. The area includes a sports complex, a football stadium and a parking lot. The Zeytinburnu Municipality appealed against the decision.

According to Turkish newspaper Milliyet, President of the Board of Trustees of Surp Prgich Hospital Foundation Bedros Sirinoglu said that the returned land is worth about 338 million liras (about USD 180 million).

In his words, in all likelihood, a business center, a trade center or a hospital will be built in this area, with the proceeds to go to the hospital and the Armenian community.

The land was confiscated from the Armenian community in 1964.