Recognition of formality of associations with “Turkish” name in Greece left for another spring

Halit Habip Oğlu: “As Western Thrace Turks we will press ahead our struggle against excluding and racist policy of the Greek government targeting us and will make the effort to settle democracy and rule of law in real terms in our country Greece.”

In Greece, the proposal for law amendment brought to the parliament by the government which will enable the verdicts by the European Human Rights Courts (AİHM) about associations of the minorities living in the country to be implemented by Greek national courts against Greece was withdrawn from the parliament. According to the newspaper Gündem, Stavros Kontonis, Minister of Justice, withdrew the proposal for law amendment mentioned in Greek press as the law which will cause formalization of the closed Xhanti Turkish Union (İTB) of Western Thrace Turks and which foresees AİHM verdicts that convicted Greece related to Turkish Women’s Cultural Association of Province of Rhodes and Evros Minority Youngsters Cultural Association along with İTB to be implemented by Greek courts.

The proposal discussed in the evening of 19 September 2017 at Greek parliament was withdrawn by the Minister of Justice Stavros Kontonis as per negative attitudes of government partner ANEL Party, opposition parties New Democracy Party and Democratic Alliance Party and upon strong reaction of extreme rightest party Golden Dawn Party which made racist discourses related to Xhanti Turkish Union. In the explanation provided by Minister Kontonis it was stated that related draft law amendment shall be brought to the parliament in the upcoming days following the discussion on it by political parties that have groups at the parliament.

Regarding the subject matter Halit Habip Oğlu, President of Federation of Western Thrace Turks in Europe (ABTTF) provided the following explanation: With the withdrawn proposal for law amendment in Greek parliament we have seen once again that when it is the issue of Western Thrace Turks it is pointless to talk about democracy and rule of law in Greece. Racist and marginalizing discourses at the parliament targeting at Western Thrace Turkish community did not amaze us much. Positive steps desired to be taken pertinent to Western Thrace Turks in Greece were hindered continuously for some reason also in the past by a disguised hand. For example, in previous years a manager with Western Thrace Turkish origin was appointed to Comotini State Hospital and afterwards this decision of appointment was nullified by a step back by Yorgo Papandreu, prime minister of that time. And recently the vacancy announcement in which Turkish speaking personnel is required by Mustafçova Municipality of which it’s all population is Turkish first approved by Greek authorities and just after publication of the announcement due to target pointing news in Greek majority press a prosecution was started against Western Thrace Turkish origined mayor by the prosecution office. There is need to get rid of these disguised hands immediately which even took hold of the parliament that has become the fortress of democracy when our country Greece got rid of military junta in 1974 and transferred to democracy. Nevertheless, to have the law amendment proposal to be brought to the parliament by the government in the forthcoming days means a light of hope for us as Western Thrace Turks who have been restrained for years in Greece and deprived of our fundamental rights. At this point, Democratic Alliance in the parliament with opposition parties including New Democracy Party and PASOK has got an important mission as to prove that democracy and rule of law exist in real terms in Greece. We expect both from New Democracy Party and Democratic Alliance to protect the democracy and provide support to the law amendment proposal. We as Western Thrace Turks shall press ahead our struggle against excluding and racist policy of Greek state targeting us and shall make the effort to make democracy and rule of law settle in real terms in our country Greece.”