2000 farmers of Western Thrace Turkish Minority marched in Komotini chanting “Farmers are to be given allocation!”

ABTTF President Halit Habip Oğlu: “It is enough! We are Greek citizens who are members of the Western Thrace Turkish Minority! Equally, we are citizens of this country just as Kostas and Maria are!”

Thousands of farmers, members of the Western Thrace Turkish Minority, were on strike in Ko-motini. Approximately 2000 farmers summoned in front of the East Macedonia and Thrace General Secretariat on 12 February 2014 and demonstrated their reaction against decision Greek govern-ment’s recent decisions taken at the expense of farmers.

On 5 February 2014 the farmers summoned in front of Regional General Secretary Aris Yannikidis’ office in Komotini in order to reiterate their demands. As Yannikidis was not in the office then, it was decided to resume assembly in front of the General Secretariat on 12 February.

Farmers protested government’s agricultural policy with slogans “We do not want to farm tobacco for the same price as spinach”

According to Rodop Rüzgarı, a Minority daily, co-organised by Tobacco Growers Cooperative of Thrace, Association of Animal Husbandry in Rodopi and Beekeepers Association of Rodopi, the demonstration was attended by several minority representatives and thousands of farmers.

Esat Hüseyin, President of Tobacco Growers Cooperative of Thrace uttered the demands of the farmers for prevention of deductions from European Common Agricultural policy’s allocations for tobacco growers, giving an end to prosecutions and confiscations and freezing of farmers’ bank ac-counts due to agricultural debts, reducing production costs, reduction on the age of retirement, provision of cheap fuel for farmers and a reduction of 50% on prices of electricity for agricultural use.

During demonstration, a group of women from Western Thrace Turkish Minority showed their re-action with slogan “It is enough, we do not want to sell tobacco for the price of spinach” and scattered the tobacco and spinach they brought along. A group of approximately 2000 persons marching in the town hall of Komotini chanted slogans “Farmers shall be paid!” and “It is enough, we cannot stand anymore!” and ended the demonstration in front of the Pireus Bank without any incidents.

Federation of Western Thrace Turks in Europe (ABTTF) President Halit Habip Oğlu said “The gradual decrease of allocations dedicated to tobacco production under the Common Agricultural Policy has the most affected the Minority’s farmers. Unfortunately, our country Greece could not assume the necessary action timely thus has not been able to accomplish its duties. Could it be for the reason that 80% of the tobacco farmers in the country are from the Western Thrace Turkish Minority? This is sufficient! We are Greek citizens, who are members of the Western Thrace Turkish Minority. We are citizens of this country just as Kostas and Maria are!”