Macedonian Association “Ilinden”-Tirana visited ABTTF

A delegation headed by Nikolla Gjurgjaj, President of the Macedonian Association “Ilinden”-Tirana, the umbrella organization of the Macedonian minority living in Albania, visited on 25 October 2015 the Head Office of the Federation of Western Thrace Turks in Europe (ABTTF) in the German city of Witten. The delegation of the Macedonian Association “Ilinden”-Tirana, which has become a regular member of the Federal Union of European Nationalities (FUEN) during its annual congress hosted by the Turkish minority of Western Thrace from 13 to 17 May 2015 in Komotini, Greece, was received by ABTTF President Halit Habip Oğlu and ABTTF Vice-President Sami Yusuf.

Whereas Habip Oğlu expressed during the visit the activities and latest developments of concern to the Turkish minority of Western Thrace in Greece, Gjurgjaj provided the ABTTF delegation with information on the Macedonian minority’s current situation in its home country Albania. Gjurgjaj said he has been closely following the succesful activities of ABTTF on international platforms and extended his appreciation for this effective and exemplary work of ABTTF. Habip Oğlu stated FUEN provided under his leadership as Vice-President in charge of international affairs the opportunity for the Meskhetian Turks, Rodos-Kos Turks and Western Thrace Turks to present their cause and problems during the latest Human Dimension Implementation Meeting of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) in Warsaw and before the United Nations, adding “Ilinden”-Tirana could also attend as a regular member of FUEN such international meetings and express there the concerns of the Macedonian minority in Albania. The visit ended with handover of gifts by the “Ilinden”-Tirana delegation to the ABTTF delegation.