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Turkish Minority of Western Thrace hosted FUEN 2015 Congress being one of the most important events concerning European national minorities

19.05.2015
150 people representing 30 minority organisations in 20 countries took part at FUEN 2015 Congress which was a historical moment for Turkish Minority of Western Thrace

Federation of Western Thrace Turks in Europe (ABTTF), Western Thrace Minority University Graduates Association (WTMUGA) and Friendship, Equality, Peace (FEP) Party co-hosted Federal Union of European Nationalities’ (FUEN) 2015 Congress during 13-17 May 2015. 150 representatives from 30 minority organisations in 20 countries took part at FUEN 2015 Congress that took place at Chris&Eve Hotel in Komotini.

FUEN President Hansen: “The conditions of minorities in one country indicates the level of democracy that country has”

The formal opening of the Congress took place on 14 May 2015 with the opening speeches of FUEN President Hans Heinrich Hansen and the President of Western Thrace Turkish Minority Advisory Board (WTTMAB) Chairman and Xanthi Mufti Ahmet Mete. FUEN President Hans Heinrich Hansen indicated that the conditions of minorities in one country showed the level of democracy that country had and continued as follows: “Show me your approach towards minorities and I tell you how democratic you are.”

FEP Party President Mustafa Ali Çavuş: “3% election threshold for independent candidates is a highly anti-democratic practice”

President of the Democratic Alliance of Hungarians in Romania (RMDSZ) Hunor Kelemen, member of the European Parliament Herbert Dorfmann (Italy) and member of the European Parliament Csaba Sógor (Romania) talked about the problems that their minorities faced in the field of political representation during the first session entitled “the Problem of Political Representation of National Minorities in Europe” and moderated by FUEN Vice President and International Secretary of Democratic Alliance of the Hungarians in Romania Loránt Vincze. Having delivered a speech in this session, FEP Party President Mustafa Ali Çavuş explained about the problems of the Turkish Minority of Western Thrace and said that 3% election threshold towards independent candidates was a highly anti-democratic practice.

Current situation of the Turkish Minority of Western Thrace was discussed during a separate session

Executive Director of the Culture and Education Foundation of Western Thrace Minority (P.EK.E.M. - C.E.FO.M.) Pervin Hayrullah and Assistant Professor at Balkan Research Institute of Trakya University Dr. Ali Hüseyinoğlu gave information on the state of autonomy that Turkish Minority of Western Thrace has on education and religious affairs during the afternoon session entitled “Current Situation of the Turkish Minority of Western Thrace” and moderated by FUEN Vice President and Former Chairman of Sydslesvigsk Forening (SSF) Dieter Paul Küssner. Besides, lawyer and member of the Hellenic League for Human Rights Halil Mustafa provided a speech on the former Article 19 of the Greek Citizenship Code that had been in force between 1955 and 1998 and caused the deprivation of citizenship of around 60 thousand Western Thrace Turks. The last panellist was economist and MA degree holder from International Economic Relations and Development of the Democritus University of Thrace Onur Mustafa Ahmet who talked about the economic structure of Western Thrace and the socio-economic situation of the Turkish Minority of Western Thrace.

Director of HRWF ‘Int Willy Fautré: “It is essential to assure mutual trust and respect in order to obtain a long-lasting solution between Greek state and the minority”

At the session on 15 May 2015 entitled “Minorities Rights Experts: Experiences and Proposals for Solutions” and moderated by FUEN Vice President and ABTTF President Halit Habip Oğlu, Director of HRWF ‘Int Willy Fautré explained the problems of the Turkish Minority of Western Thrace that need to be solved urgently. Fautré underlined that it was essential to assure mutual trust and respect in order to obtain a long-lasting solution between Greek state and the minority. Having had a deep knowledge on Greek approach to minority rights and the situation of minorities in Greece, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Konstantinos Tsitselikis from the department of Balkan, Slavic and Oriental Studies of the University of Macedonia spoke about the legal statute of the Turkish Minority of Western Thrace as well as the ideological structure behind the state policies implemented. Writer, columnist and member of the Greek Minority in Istanbul Hercules Millas highlighted the case of autonomy of both Turkish Minority of Western Thrace and Greek Minority in Istanbul having shared his personal experiences as a member of the Greek Minority in Istanbul.

Macedonian minority as well as Rhodes and Kos Turks presented their problems

During the 5th session entitled “Ups and downs from Flensburg to Komotini – One year of minority protection in Europe”, Chair of Educative and Culture Movement of Edessa Eugenia Natsoulidou talked about the problems of Macedonian minority while President of the Rhodes, Kos and Dodacanese Culture and Solidarity Association Prof. Dr. Mustafa Kaymakçı explained about the problems that Rhodes and Kos Turks face. The owner of the minority magazine “Rodop Rüzgarı” İbrahim Baltalı made a presentation entitled “Destruction of Ottoman heritage monuments and artifacts in Western Thrace.”

FUEN took two final decisions on the problems of minorities in Greece

In their conclusion text presented as a delegation of Western Thrace Turks at FUEN Assembly of Delegates that took place on the 16th of May, ABTTF, WTMUGA and FEP Party jointly demanded that Greek authorities had to undertake concrete steps to solve the chronic problems. Additionally, Greece was asked to ratify the Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities as well as the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages of the Council of Europe and finally to set up a policy standard for the protection of national minorities according to the text presented by FUEN and adopted by the votes of delegates.
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