ABTTF paid a working visit to Brussels

Federation of Western Thrace Turks in Europe (ABTTF) conducted several meetings mainly in the European Parliament in Brussels on 24 February 2016. The ABTTF delegation composed of ABTTF President Halit Habip Oğlu and ABTTF Vice-President Sami Yusuf and accompanied by ABTTF Brussels Representation met with MEP Soraya Post (Sweden/S&D) and MEP Angelika Mlinar (Austria/ALDE) in the European Parliament. The delegation also came together with Dr Krisztian Manzinger who is the second secretary at the Hungarian Mission to the EU at the embassy premises.

The problems of the minority as well as the recent developments have been highlighted

The first meeting took place at the Hungarian Mission to the EU premises with the Second Secretary Dr Krisztian Manzinger. Having met Mr Manzinger almost a year ago, the delegation informed him about the recent developments in Western Thrace, particularly on the issue of death threats to the elected Mufti of Xanthi and the attack to the headquarter of minority’s FEP Party.

ABTTF delegation continued its meetings at the European Parliament and came together firstly with Swedish MEP Soraya Post who is the member of LIBE (Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs) Committee. Having expressed his gladness on meeting the MEP for the first time, Mr Habip Oğlu informed her about the fundamental problems of the minority particularly on education and religious affairs along with the works ABTTF carries out at international platforms.

The last meeting was held with Austrian MEP Angelika Mlinar in her office in the EP. Mr Habip Oğlu talked about the significant problem on freedom of association of the Turkish minority and noted that Greece had not yet implemented 3 ECtHR rulings of 2007 and 2008 on the cases of Xanthi Turkish Union, Cultural Association of Turkish Women of Rhodope and Evros Minority Youth Association.