ABTTF President: “According to Lausanne, if there are Muslim minorities in Greece, there are also non-Muslim minorities in Türkiye. I would like to ask Bolosis, if there are no Turks in our region, why do we have Turkish-language schools, why do we have Turkish-language newspapers? I would recommend Bolosis to look at the number of votes received by the FEP Party, which Bolosis says that we participated in the elections with the Turkish party, if there are no Turks, who casted their votes to the FEP Party?’’
On 28 June 2024, on the website Newsbreak, Christos Bolosis, Secretary General of the National Defence Personnel Association, wrote in an article titled ‘‘What is happening in Xanthi?’’ that there are no Turks in Western Thrace and that ‘‘the ear of the unruly Muslims in Thrace should be pulled’’.
Drawing attention to the motto ‘‘The Newspaper of Western Thrace Turks’’ under the Millet newspaper belonging to the Turkish community in Western Thrace, Bolosis claimed that there are no Turks in Western Thrace and indicated that according to the Treaty of Lausanne, those living in the region are not Turks but Muslims. Noting that the population in the region participated in the elections with ‘‘Turkish’’ parties, published ‘‘Turkish’’ newspapers and established ‘‘Turkish’’ associations, Bolosis underscored that ‘‘the unruly Muslims in Thrace should have their ear pulled’’ and called on the authorities to do what is required and foreseen by the international treaties.
President of the Federation of Western Thrace Turks in Europe (ABTTF) Halit Habip Oğlu made the following statement: ‘‘The online news site called Newsbreak is a well-known site with its articles targeting our society. The lawsuit we filed against this website for making unfounded and false news is still ongoing. Now, Newsbreak, which published an article written by a retired soldier, has included a provocative statement targeting the Turkish community in Western Thrace on its page. According to Lausanne, if there are Muslim minorities in Greece, there are also non-Muslim minorities in Türkiye. I would like to ask Bolosis, if there are no Turks in our region, why do we have Turkish-language schools, why do we have Turkish-language newspapers? I would recommend Bolosis to look at the number of votes received by the FEP Party in the elections, which he says we participated in the elections with the Turkish party, who casted their votes to the FEP Party if there are no Turks? I would like to remind that our Turkish associations were established right after Lausanne, because as Turks we have been living in this land for centuries, this is our homeland. Today, the closure of our associations bearing the word ‘‘Turkish’’ in their names and the change of our schools called Turkish schools to ‘‘Minority Schools’’ does not change the fact that we exist!’’
ABTTF President: “According to Lausanne, if there are Muslim minorities in Greece, there are also non-Muslim minorities in Türkiye. I would like to ask Bolosis, if there are no Turks in our region, why do we have Turkish-language schools, why do we have Turkish-language newspapers? I would recommend Bolosis to look at the number of votes received by the FEP Party, which Bolosis says that we participated in the elections with the Turkish party, if there are no Turks, who casted their votes to the FEP Party?’’
On 28 June 2024, on the website Newsbreak, Christos Bolosis, Secretary General of the National Defence Personnel Association, wrote in an article titled ‘‘What is happening in Xanthi?’’ that there are no Turks in Western Thrace and that ‘‘the ear of the unruly Muslims in Thrace should be pulled’’.
Drawing attention to the motto ‘‘The Newspaper of Western Thrace Turks’’ under the Millet newspaper belonging to the Turkish community in Western Thrace, Bolosis claimed that there are no Turks in Western Thrace and indicated that according to the Treaty of Lausanne, those living in the region are not Turks but Muslims. Noting that the population in the region participated in the elections with ‘‘Turkish’’ parties, published ‘‘Turkish’’ newspapers and established ‘‘Turkish’’ associations, Bolosis underscored that ‘‘the unruly Muslims in Thrace should have their ear pulled’’ and called on the authorities to do what is required and foreseen by the international treaties.
President of the Federation of Western Thrace Turks in Europe (ABTTF) Halit Habip Oğlu made the following statement: ‘‘The online news site called Newsbreak is a well-known site with its articles targeting our society. The lawsuit we filed against this website for making unfounded and false news is still ongoing. Now, Newsbreak, which published an article written by a retired soldier, has included a provocative statement targeting the Turkish community in Western Thrace on its page. According to Lausanne, if there are Muslim minorities in Greece, there are also non-Muslim minorities in Türkiye. I would like to ask Bolosis, if there are no Turks in our region, why do we have Turkish-language schools, why do we have Turkish-language newspapers? I would recommend Bolosis to look at the number of votes received by the FEP Party in the elections, which he says we participated in the elections with the Turkish party, who casted their votes to the FEP Party if there are no Turks? I would like to remind that our Turkish associations were established right after Lausanne, because as Turks we have been living in this land for centuries, this is our homeland. Today, the closure of our associations bearing the word ‘‘Turkish’’ in their names and the change of our schools called Turkish schools to ‘‘Minority Schools’’ does not change the fact that we exist!’’
