MP Mehmet Müezzinoğlu and Director General of IRCICA Dr. Halit Eren were denied to entry to Greece

ABTTF President Halit Habipoğlu: This incident does not suit to an EU member state

The MP Mehmet Müezzinoğlu of the Justice and Development Party (AK Parti), who personally has his roots in Western Thrace, his wife Faize Müezzinoğlu and Dr. Halit Eren, General Director of the Research Center for Islamic History, Art and Culture (IRCICA) and former President of the Western Thrace Turks Solidarity Assoccation (BTTDD) were denied to entry to Greece at the border crossing point Kipi as they were accompanying the Turkish Deputy Prime Minister Bekir Bozdağ during a visit to Western Thrace. According to the news of the daily Hürriyet, the Greek officials denied entry to MP Müezzinoğlu, his wife and Dr. Halit Eren on the grounds that their passports stated their place of birth as “Gümülcine”, the Turkish word for Komotini. Only after MP Müezzinoğlu, his wife and Dr. Eren had had their passports renew in Turkey and the city name been changed to Komotini, they were granted entry to Greece on the next day.

“It is very unfortunate that MP Mehmet Müezzinoğlu and General Director of IRCICA Dr. Halit Eren were denied entry to Greece as they were accompanying who the Turkish Deputy Prime Minister Bekir Bozdağ as delegation members. On the other hand, MP Hakan Çavuşoğlu, who also took part in the delegation, was granted entry to Greece although his place of birth in the passport was stated as “Gümülcine”. This demonstrates the ulterior motive behind the practice. This incident does not suit to an EU member country.” said Halit Habipoğlu, President of the Federation of Western Thrace Turks in Europe (ABTTF).