Problems of the Turkish minority of Western Thrace brought onto the OSCE agenda

The Federation of Western Thrace Turks in Europe (ABTTF), the Western Thrace Minority University Graduates Association (WTMUGA) and the Rhodes, Kos and the Dodecanese Turks Culture and Solidarity Association, which are all regular members of the Federal Union of European Nationalities (FUEN), participated on 29-30 October 2015 in the meeting on OSCE Contribution to the Protection of National Minorities: HCNM recommendations and guideline in Vienna. Funda Reşit, member of the International Affairs and Lobbying Group of ABTTF, Yakup Uzun from ABTTF Brussels Office and WTMUGA members Asst. Prof. Dr. Ali Hüseyinoğlu and Pervin Hayrullah represented the Turkish minority of Western Thrace in Greece at the meeting organized by the Serbian OSCE Chairmanship, the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) and the OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities (HCNM).

From those Turkic minorities/communities under the umbrella of FUEN, the Turks living on the islands of Rhodes and Kos in Greece also attended the OSCE meeting with the support of FUEN. Prof. Dr. Mustafa Kaymakçı, Chairman of the Rhodes, Kos and the Dodecanese Turks Culture and Solidarity Association, expressed the problems having been faced by the Turks on Rhodes and Kos.

Turkish ethnic identity of the minority not recognized and associations having the word “Turkish” in their titles not permitted

During the session on “25 years after the adoption of the Copenhagen Document”, Funda Reşit took the floor and stated the Turkish ethnic identity of the minority is not being recognized and minority associations having the word “Turkish” in their titles have therefore not been permitted by the Greek authorities. Reşit referred to the three judgments of the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) against Greece with regard to the violation of freedom of association, adding these judgments have not been implemented yet by Greece.

Inequalities and discrimination continue in all areas of public life

Reşit expressed during the session on “Integration of diverse societies and The Ljubljana Guidelines” the ethnic identity of the Turkish minority of Western Thrace is not being recognized and the persons belonging to the minority has been discriminated as regards of citizenship, education, freedom of religion and participation in public affairs.

Educational autonomy of the Turkish minority weakened

During the session on “National minorities in inter-State relations and The Bolzano/Bozen Recommendations”, Reşit noted the educational autonomy of the Turkish minority of Western Thrace has been guaranteed under the Lausanne Peace Treaty signed between Greece and Turkey, adding this autonomy in educational field has been undermined by Greece through more than 70 acts adopted, which led as a result to serious educational problems at nursery, primary and secondary school levels.

FUEN President Hans Heinrich Hansen spoke also at this session and presented FUEN’s opinion on the state of minority protection in Europe. Referring to the German minority in Denmark he belongs to and mentioning his own experiences in positive developments that took place in the German-Danish border region, Hansen underlined the importance of mutual dialogue and good will between states in minority issues, adding FUEN tries to contribute positively to such inter-state relations.