Western Thrace Turks at the 55th FUEN-Congress

The Federation of Western of Western Thrace Turks in Europe (ABTTF) participated in the 55th Congress of the Federal Union of European Nationalities (FUEN) that was held from 12 to 15 May 2010 Slovenian capital of Ljubljana. At the Congress, the Turkish Minority of Western Thrace was represented by ABTTF President Halit Habipoğlu, ABTTF Secretary General Özkan Reşit, Ekrem Kırcalı and Cengiz İsmail, both members of the ABTTF-Executive Board, and Se-bahattin Abdurrahman, member of the Western Thrace Minority University Graduates Association (BTAYTD).

During the Congress, in which circa 200 representatives of the non-governmental organizations (NGOs) of autochthonous minorities from 30 countries of Europe participated, political partici-pation of minorities as the lead subject of the Congress was discussed. The keynote speech at the Congress was given by the Slovenian President Dr. Danilo Türk. On the first day following the dinner, a FUEN market entitled “living – diversity”” was opened. On the market, ABTTF shared some main elements belonging to the Western Thrace Turkish culture like Turkish delight, Turk-ish sweet pastry “baklava”, evil eye bead, Turkish coffee and the Turkish “raki” produced in the region with the representatives of other participating NGOs. Moreover, ABTTF also presented brochures, booklets and DVD-copies of a documentary film about the Turkish Minority of Western Thrace on the market.

On 14 May, following the opening speech of the FUEN President Hans Heinrich Hansen on the future of FUEN and the political participation of minorities, working groups were formed. While ABTTF President Halit Habipoğlu was participating in the working group on the future of FUEN, ABTTF Secretary General Özkan Reşit and member of BTAYTD Sebahattin Abdur-rahman participated in the working on the political participation of minorities. Resit informed the working group participants on “Kallikratis Plan”, which will reorganize in the near future the lo-cal administration in Greece.

After the lunch on the same day, the Assembly of Delegates of FUEN convened. After the FUEN Presidency had submitted the activity report, financial report and audit report covering the last three years, elections were held. Hans Heinrich Hansen as the only candidate got the votes of 111 delegates out of 130, and was re-elected as FUEN President.

Habipoğlu was re-elected to the European Dialogue Forum

Following the elections of FUEN Presidency, the elections of FUEN members in the European Dialogue Forum for the period 2010-12 were held. According to the results of the elections held using open votes, ABTTF President Halit Habipoğlu was re-elected as member of the Forum.

Halit Habipoğlu, who was elected as FUEN member in the European Dialogue Forum at the elections held in 2008, uttered in his speech of candidacy that he belonged to the Turkish Minor-ity of Western Thrace and stated the following: “I was nominated by ABTTF at the elections of FUEN members in the European Dialogue Forum two years ago, and was assigned through your support. It is true that dialogue on the desired level could not be established in the last two years with the members of the European Parliament. However, we should not be pessimistic about it, and as FUEN family try persistently to bring the MEPs in dialogue through the European Dia-logue Forum. Therefore I candidate again, and solicit your votes.”