Meeting initiated by the Greek Foreign Minister Kotzias on the economic development of Western Thrace

ABTTF President Halit Habip Oğlu: “Such one-sided meetings, to which the representatives of the Turkish Minority of Western Thrace living in the region und knowing best the situation there are not invited to attend, can never help the economic development of Western Thrace.”

The Greek Minister for Foreign Affairs Nikos Kotzias hosted an enlarged meeting on the economic development of the region of Western Thrace on 28 June 2016 at the Greek Foreign Ministry. According to the daily Birlik, the meeting was attended by, amongst others, the Greek Minister of Interior, the Greek Minister of Education, the Greek Minister of Economy, Tourism and Development as well as the Greek Deputy Minister of Public Order and Citizen Protection and the Greek Deputy Minister of Rural Development. During the meeting, the Greek Foreign Minister Kotzias presented the participants his plan he has been working on about initiating measures for the economic development of Western Thrace in order to free the region from the influence of Turkey. Kotzias emphasized concerning the economic development of Western Thrace, the networks of energy, transport and education must be strengthened in order to reveal the geostrategic position of the region.

“As its examples were experienced many times in the past, the high-level politicians of our country Greece discussed Western Thrace during a meeting which was attended only by themselves and in the absence of the representatives of the Turkish Minority of Western Thrace. It is no way understandable and acceptable that none of the representatives of our minority were invited to the said meeting although there are currently four deputies and three mayors belonging to our minority, who know best the situation and economic problems of Western Thrace and experience these on the ground. Besides, the Greek authorities refer at every opportunity to democracy and equality. Such one-sided meetings, which ignore the views and suggestions of the Turkish Minority of Western Thrace, can never help the economic development of the region” said Halit Habip Oğlu, President of the Federation of Western Thrace Turks in Europe (ABTTF).