ABTTF President: “Will the judiciary be truly independent and act in accordance with the law when making decisions? Because when it comes to Western Thrace Turks, neither political parties nor the judiciary have acted in this way so far. Indeed, we have always said that there is no goodwill towards the Turkish community in Western Thrace, the established structure of the state system perceives us as a element of threat.”
Greek Minister of State Akis Skertsos announced that the reform on the participation of the judiciary in the appointment of the presidents of the higher courts in Greece will constitute a turning point for the rule of law and the independence of the judiciary in Greece.
With the reform to be introduced in Greece, where the government appoints the presidents of the high courts, the authority to appoint the presidents of the high courts will remain with the Council of Ministers within the limits set by the Greek Constitution, but the Council of Ministers will consider the opinion sent to the Council of Ministers by the judicial bodies.
Indicating that he hoped that the opposition would also support the reform, the Minister of State noted that this reform would fulfil the advice given to Greece by the European Commission on a regular basis and that the issue separating Greece from the European institutional framework would come to an end.
President of the Federation of Western Thrace Turks in Europe (ABTTF) Halit Habip Oğlu made the following statement: “In our country Greece, the appointment of the presidents of the high courts by the government leads to the manipulation of the decisions of the judiciary by the government and violates the independence of the judiciary, as we have seen for many years in court decisions concerning the Turkish community in Western Thrace. With this reform, the authority will remain with the government, but the judicial bodies will give their opinions. How will the implementation be? Will the judiciary be truly independent and act in accordance with the law when making decisions? Indeed, when it comes to Western Thrace Turks, neither the political parties nor the judiciary have acted in this way until today. Indeed, we have always said that there is no goodwill towards the Turkish community in Western Thrace, the established structure of the state system perceives us as a threat. In the following process, the judgement of the judiciary will show, if it will be the ‘‘same old story’’ or if there will be really a change’'.
