ABTTF on a working visit to Brussels

The Federation of Western Thrace Turks in Europe’s (ABTTF) President Halit Habip Oğlu paid on 25 March 2015 a working visit to Brussels. Habip Oğlu accompanied by the ABTTF Brussels Repre-sentation Office met during his working visit with the MEPs Iskra Mihaylova (Bulgaria/ALDE) and Jordi Sebastia (Spain/The Greens-EFA).

ABTTF President Habip Oğlu met the MEP Mihaylova from the Movement for Rights and Freedoms (MRF) in Bulgaria

During his first meeting with the Iskra Mihaylova from the Movement for Rights and Freedoms (MRF), the political party of the Turkish minority living in Bulgaria, ABTTF President Habip Oğlu provided her with detailed information on ABTTF and the Turkish Minority of Western Thrace in Greece. Habip Oğlu stated the autonomy of the Turkish Minority of Western Thrace in the fields of education and religion has been destroyed today, adding Western Thrace is economically one of the most underdeveloped regions of Greece and there has been a serious inequality experienced by the Turkish minority not only in social and political life but also as regards of the opportunities in eco-nomic life. Mihaylova said she served in the past as Minister for Regional Development in Bulgaria and conducted a EU programme for regional cooperation between Bulgaria and Greece, and noted she knows very well Western Thrace and the Turkish minority living there and provided information on EU programmes directly related to the economic development of Western Thrace.

Habip Oğlu visited Co-Chair of the EP Intergroup for Minorities Jordi Sebastia at his office

During his meeting with the Co-Chair of the European Parliament (EP) Intergroup for Traditional Minorities, National Communities and Languages Jordi Sebastia, Habip Oğlu mentioned in detail the problems the Turkish Minority of Western Thrace has been facing in the fields of education and religion. Sebastia uttered he knows already the problems Turkish Minority of Western Thrace has in the field of education and with respect to the use of mother language, and noted the potential joint cooperation areas at the level of the EP, adding he will be ready to give support to the Turkish Mi-nority of Western Thrace.