ECRI released its fifth report on Greece

European Commission against Racism and Intolerance of the Council of Europe (ECRI) released a report on the fight against racism and intolerance in Greece on 24 February 2015.

ECRI released its fifth country report that was prepared after visiting the country in March 2014 and includes developments until June 2014 in Greece. Turkish Minority of Western Thrace was mentioned under the name of ‘Muslim Minority of Western Thrace’ in this report. The Greek government states in the annex published with the report that the use of the name ‘Western Thrace’ is misleading on the grounds that the region where Muslim minority intensely live is called East Macedonia-Thrace regional governance.

The negative outcomes resulting from the implementation of Article 19 must be eliminated

ECRI stated that around 60,000 people from Turkish Minority of Western Thrace had been deprived of their citizenship because of the problematic Article 19 of the former Greek Citizenship Code that was in force between 1955 and 1998. Those who lost their citizenship statutes must now apply again for Greek citizenship with the condition that they reside in Greece. ECRI suggests Greek authorities that the negative outcomes stemming from the implementation of Article 19 must be eliminated.

The quality of education at minority schools of Western Thrace should be brought to the same level as in state schools

Having given special importance to the problems in education, ECRI explains that there are only 2 secondary schools providing bilingual education in Komotini and Xanthi while insufficient provision of educative content and materials result in poor education level, social and economic exclusion and marginalisation. ECRI also suggests that the quality of education at minority schools of Western Thrace should be brought to the same level as in state schools.

ECRI mentions the crisis at kindergartens in Echinos village and suggests solving similar problems by engaging in dialogue with minority representatives

ECRI states that the kindergarten education became compulsory by the act of 3518/2006 with no measures taken concerning Turkish Minority of Western Thrace. Besides, Greek government rejects all demands to open up minority bilingual kindergartens in addition to current state kindergartens where the instruction is only in Greek. ECRI also mentions the crisis at kindergartens in Echinos village that risks the right to education for pupils and suggests that similar problems should be solved by engaging in dialogue with minority representatives.

The President of the Federation of Western Thrace Turks in Europe (ABTTF) Halit Habip Oğlu stated that: “We will prepare a parallel report, as we did the same regarding US human rights and religious freedom reports, where we will present the opinion of our minority to ECRI on the issues that lack or are superficially mentioned in their report.”

You could reach out the whole report through this link:
http://www.coe.int/t/dghl/monitoring/ecri/Library/PressReleases/178-24_02_2015_Greece_en.asp