ABTTF’s ECOSOC Membership Caused Panic Among Greek Media

United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) membership of Federation of Western Thrace Turks in Europe caused a panic among Greek media. Hronos, Greek newsletter, gave great importance to that new event and announced it with “They Provoke” heading.

The acceptance of Federation of Western Thrace Turks in Europe’s application for membership to ECOSOC got a lot of attention from Greek media. Eleftheri Thraki, Greek newsletter published in Dedeağaç, and Hronos, Greek newsletter published in Komotini, reserved place to that new event on their pages. Hronos gave great importance and wrote headline “They Provoke”

“They Provoke”

Hronos newsletter claimed the following ideas in the related sub - head “After United Nation recognized Federation of Western Thrace Turks in Europe (ABTTF) and accepted its application to become a member of Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), it is demanded that the associations in Thrace are recognized by Greek Government.”

The declarations of ABTTF about the coming local elections was also emphasized and as well as the legalization of the ABTTF was also touched upon in the article. ABTTF was defined as a potential danger for the coming years and the article asked the Greek authorities whether they had any plans to prevent the activities of ABTTF.

Greek Authorities are evaluating the new development

Eleftheri Thraki, Greek newsletter published in Dedeağaç, evaluated that new event as the following “ABTTF has the right to open representative offices in New York, Vienna, Geneva where United Nations has centres. ABTTF has the right to give consultancy to United Nations in the scope of minorities and the themes relating Western Thrace Turkish Minority members. With the new status, ABTTF can attend international meetings and make presentations. Greek Ministry of Foreign Affairs evaluating this new situation as the application to get the right to be able to use Turkish names for the Western Thrace Turkish Minority Associations after İskeçe Turkish Solidarity Assocation was closed by the Greek Supreme Court of Appeals. To object the Greek Supreme Court of Appeals decision, Western Thrace Turkish Minority members resorted to European Court of Strasbourgh and ABTTF’s membership urged Greek Ministry of Foreign Affairs to evaluate this new situation and the decision of Greek Supreme Court of Appeals once again.”

Habipoğlu “Our Efforts are Pacifist”

Halit Habipoğlu, chairman of Federation of Western Thrace Turks in Europe, analysed the response of Greek media and he evaluated those reactions groundless and irrelevant. He added that they would not allow anyone to hinder their pacifist efforts to guarantee the basic rights of the Western Thrace Turks living in Greece. On the contrary Greece should be proud of such minority organizations that are accrediated by United Nations and that work for democratization of their country, Greece.