ABTTF starts its traditional year-end visits to its member associations

Within the framework of year-end visits to member associations, Federation of Western Thrace Turks in Europe(ABTTF) visited Witten Western Thrace Turks Solidarity and Co-operation Association on 16 December 2016, Halver Western Thrace Turks Culture Association, Viersen Western Thrace Turks Solidarity and Co-operation Association and Bonn and Nearby Western Thrace Turks Association on 17 December 2016 and met leaders and members of associations. While Chairperson of the ABTTF Disciplinary Board İsmail Aptioğlu accompanied ABTTF President Halit Habip Oğlu during all visits, ABTTF Vice-President Sami Yusuf in Witten, ABTTF Vice-President Mehmet Hüseyin in Halver, ABTTF Vice-Presidents Sebahattin Mümin and Mustafa Kasap in Bonn joined the visits.

During visits ABTTF President Habip Oğlu informed about ABTTF’s activities in the year 2016 and planned activities for the next year 2017. Concerning events and developments which have taken place in Western Thrace in 2016, Habip Oğlu noted that Greece has not taken any steps for the solution of the problems of the Turkish Minority of Western Thrace. He further commented on that repressive and discriminatory policies and practices against minority and pointed out the recent developments in the past year including that executives of minority organizations were asked for making deposition before the Greek police and the public prosecutor, that headquarters and branch offices of Western Thrace Minority University Graduates Association were raided by the Greek police and that the branch offices were closed down and criminal cases were filed against board members of on the ground that the association was operating unlicensed nurseries.

Habip Oğlu said that ABTTF continues its struggle for the Turkish Minority of Western Thrace’s legitimate cause at the internationa fora and expressed his thanks on behalf of ABTTF to the executives of member associations for donations they whipped through campaigns organized by member associations in their own regions. Habip Oğlu wished a happy New Year to all executives and all members.