Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe criticizes Greece

Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe adopted interim resolution for Greece to execute the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) judgments regarding freedom of association of the Western Thrace Turkish Minority with no further delays. The respective cases are Bekir Ousta and Others vs. Greece (35151/05), Emin and Other vs. Greece (34144/05) and Xanthi Turkish Union and Others vs. Greece (26698/05).

Committee of Ministers requested Greece to submit a timetable on execution process of the ECtHR judgments

Different from the previously followed warning mechanisms since 2008, the Committee of Ministers under its mission of scrutinizing Greece’s execution of ECtHR judgments on three cases in relation to Western Thrace Turkish Minority’s freedom of association has given a strong message by adopting an interim resolution. The interim solution includes a request for Greece to submit a timetable for execution of ECtHR judgments.

The Committee noted that following the ECtHR judgments the registration requests of Evros Minority Youth Association (Bekir Ousta and others), Cultural Association of Turkish Women of Rodopi (Emin and others) and Xanthi Turkish Union (Xanthi Turkish Union and others) were not received nor the respective courts in the region held the trials further. The Committee of Ministers noted as well that since 2013 June Greek authorities indicate that specific measures are sought for execution of judgments on respective cases. Furthermore, the Committee disclosed that no tangible data and no timetable had been provided by Greek authorities since June 2013.

On its 1172nd meeting on 6 June 2013 the Committee of Ministers had assessed the status of execution of respective judgments under the rubric “Bekir Ousta Group” and had asked input of Greek authorities on execution process to be able to evaluate the situation on its next summoning in December 2013. At its 1186th meeting on 5 December 2014, the Council of Ministers warned Greece once again and requested a timetable on execution process of ECtHR judgments and decided on proceeding with a draft interim resolution in case the request is not fulfilled by Greece.


You can access the interim resolution here: https://wcd.coe.int/ViewDoc.jsp?Ref=CM/ResDH(2014)84&Language=lanEnglish&Ver=original&Site=CM&BackColorInternet=DBDCF2&BackColorIntranet=FDC864&BackColorLogged=FDC864