ABTTF pays a working visit to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe

ABTTF President Halit Habipoğlu: We have determined the first steps of the new strategy regarding our lobbying activities before the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe

The Federation of Western Thrace Turks in Europe (ABTTF) paid a working visit to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) from 23 to 25 April 2012 in Strasbourg. During the working visit, ABTTF President Halit Habipoğlu and ABTTF Director General K. Engin Soyyılmaz uttered the current issues with regard to the Turkish Minority of Western Thrace in Greece, inter alia, the hate-motivated attacks on the Turkish minority and the problems in the area of freedom of association.

Western Thrace Turks hit hardest by the economic crisis in Greece

During the meeting with the former PACE President and member of the Turkish Delegation to PACE, Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu and Chairperson of the Turkish Delegation to PACE, Nursuna Memecan, President Habipoğlu uttered the current issues with regard to the Turkish Minority of Western Thrace.

During the meeting with Boriss Cilevičs MP, Second Vice-Chairperson of the PACE Committee on Legal Affairs and Human Rights, President Habipoğlu said due to the deep economic and financial crisis in Greece, unemployment has rapidly increased in the country and the Turkish Minority of Western Thrace has been hit harder than any other group by this situation.

Hate-motivated attacks on the Turkish Minority of Western Thrace increases

During the meeting with Aline Ausanese, Lawyer at European Commission Against Racism and Intolerance (ECRI), President Habipoğlu noted there has been an increase in the hate-motivated attacks on the Turkish Minority of Western Thrace and addressed to the latest attacks on the Xanthi Turkish Union and Bektashi lodge in Xanthi in March 2012.

Greece insists on not implementing the ECtHR’s judgments

During the meeting with Irene Kitsou-Milonas, Head of Section at the Department of the Execution of Judgments of the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR), President Habipoğlu said the Greek Court of Cassation (Areios Pagos) dismissed in March 2012 the application for the reopening of the Xanthi Turkish Union which was closed in 1986, adding that Greece does still not implement the three judgments of the ECtHR with regard to the Turkish Minority of Western Thrace and one on the Macedonian Cultural Home. Moreover, President Habipoğlu noted in its written reply to the motion for question submitted by Çetin Mandacı MP on the implementation of the ECtHR’s judgments by Greece, the Ministry for Justice, Transparency and Human Rights expressed Greece is not obliged to implement those ECtHR’s judgments.