Working visit by ABTTF to Brussels

The Federation of Western Thrace Turks in Europe (ABTTF) paid on 7 March 2018 a working visit to Brussels, the capital of the European Union (EU). During the working visit, ABTTF President Halit Habip Oğlu and ABTTF Vice President Sami Yusuf, who were accompanied by Aykut Garipoğlu from the Brussels Office of ABTTF, met with the members of the European Parliament (MEP) Pal Csaky (EPP, Slovakia) and Csaba Sogor (EPP, Romania) along with Günther Dauwen, Director of the European Free Alliance (EFA).

Current developments regarding the Turkish community in Western Thrace were conveyed and Brussels oriented joint activities were discussed

The first meeting within the scope of the working visit was held with the MEPs Pal Csaky belonging to the Hungarian minority in Slovakia and Csaba Sogor belonging to the Hungarian minority in Romania in the Csaky’s office in the EP. ABTTF President Habip Oğlu thanked Csaky on behalf of the Turkish community in Western Thrace for the effort he has made for adoption of the resolution on “Protection and Non-discrimination with regard to Minorities in the EU Member States” on 7 February 2018 at the plenary session of the EP. Habip Oğlu informed the MEPs about the problems having been faced by the Turkish community in Western Thrace in the fields of education and religion, and stated Greek authorities keep ignoring insistently their demand for opening bilingual minority kindergartens in Western Thrace, several legal proceedings were taken against the muftis elected by the Turkish community in Western Thrace on the ground of “usurpation of the office”, the Elected Mufti of Xanthi Ahmet Mete was sentenced to 7 months imprisonment with 3 year-suspension at the trial held in November 2017 in Thessaloniki.

During the meeting with EFA Director Günther Dauwen at the ABTTF Brussels Office, ABTTF President Habip Oğlu provided him with information on the current problems of the Turkish community in Western Thrace in the fields of educational and religious autonomy and freedom of association. Furthermore, the resolution adopted by the EP last February pertinent to national minorities in the EU and its impacts on the minorities in Europe were also discussed.