Georgios Karatzaferis, Leader of LAOS, announced his candidacy for Rhodope

Georgios Karatzaferis, President of the Popular Orthodox Rally (LAOS), announced his candidacy for the province of Rhodope at a press conference during his visit to the city of Tripoli in Peloponnese on 12 September 2009. According to the ANA-MPA news agency, Karatzaferis stated with regard to his candidacy for the province of Rhodope that “Thus it will not seem like only the Turkish consulate is serving in this area”.

Karatzaferis, who affirmed to be ready to do anything national interests require for, also presented his willingness to co-operate with anyone supporting his program adding that for such a co-operation, three conditions, namely a foreign policy assigned by the State of Greece, quota on the number of immigrants coming to the country and social peace built were required

Although campaigns for the general elections have not started yet, a placard with the statement “Close the Consulate General of the Republic of Turkey”* was put up in Komotini after Karatzaferis’ speech. According to the news of daily Birlik, Greek police remained as spectator when the banners were hung up by a group of about eight people. With regard to the topic, Halit Habipoglu, President of the Federation of Western Thrace Turks in Europe (ABTTF), stated that “Karatzaferis’ justification for his candidacy for the province of Rhodope that it his will to present that not only Turkish Consulate is serving in this region, is a step which increases tension in Western Thrace before the early general elections. It is the authority and discretion of a political party to nominate individuals for different regions. However, Karatzaferis stimulates tension in the region by directly targeting and damaging the current political atmosphere. The banners put up on the railway bridge of Komotini indicates the possible danger.”