EU member states continue to override rights of minorities

On 17 September 2010, Pelagon (News from Macedonia), has claimed that it is not only France that tramples minority rights, but Greece is also problematic in the field of minority rights, in the press item entitled “Minority rights in the EU- France is not alone”.

It is stated in the item that that it is amazing how arrogant some countries treat their minorities, where human rights seem out of power, and the value of human dignity. And, it is stated that the most recent example to this is one of the most important countries in the EU along with Germany and UK, which is France which violates rights of its minorities and pushes out thousands of Romans.

Greece ignores minorities living in its own country

It is noted that that there is only “Turkish minority in Thrace” registered as Muslim minority in Greece, while other minorities such as Macedonians and Albanians are not even officially recognized. Since these minorities are not officially recognized, it is underlined that it is not possible to grant these groups with any minority rights. However, Pelagon claims that population statistics show something different. And, the demand from EU applicant states to protect the rights of its own minorities is defined as hypocrisy, since the EU expects a strict compliance from prospective member states, although rights of minorities in old member states are still being violated.

With regard to the issue, President of Federation of Western Thrace Turks in Europe (ABTTF), Mr. Halit Habipoğlu said, “It is true that the European Union has not created a full amount of consistent rules which are valid for everyone in the Union. There is no observation or supervision mechanism in promotion of guaranteed minority rights in old member states of the Union. The relevant example to this situation is that Turkish minority of Western Thrace in Greece is not officially recognized on the basis of its ethnic identity, but its religious identity. The Turkish minority- which is deprived of its right to self-identification- grapples with get down many problems for long years. Therefore, it is the EU which must exercise its strong will to produce solutions to the problems in the field of minority rights in the member states”.