ABTTF elected its new management
The Federation of Western Thrace Turks in Europe (ABTTF) held its 20th Ordinary General Assembly on 15 April 2017. As a result of the elections held at the general assembly in the province of Gießen in Germany with participation of 12 member associations and 109 delegates, new president and vice presidents of ABTTF and members of inspection and discipline board were elected. In this first election following the change in the statutes, while the president of ABTTF and vice presidents are elected for 4 years, tenure of office for the new members elected for ABTTF audit and disciplinary boards shall also be four years.
Halit Habip Oğlu: As ABTTF we will continue advocating rightful case of the Western Thrace Turks with the same impetus and determination
ABTTF’s 20th Ordinary General Assembly started with one minute’s silence primarily in memory of the deceased Dr. Sadık Ahmet and the ones who served for Western Thrace Turks case and lost their lives. Afterwards Halit Habip Oğlu, President of ABTTF made opening remarks. Habip Oğlu, indicated unfavorable developments are experienced in educational and religious autonomy in Greece and he stated that recently legal proceedings conducted systematically against representatives of institutions and organizations of Western Thrace Turks have turned out to be an instrument for threatening and intimidation.
Habip Oğlu noted that ABTTF struggles to make the voice of Western Thrace Turks community heard on international level and explained that they are not alone in this path and added that Greece sent a reply to the written statements of the current problems of the Western Thrace Turks submitted to the United Nations Human Rights Council by the Federal Union of European Nationalities (FUEN) and referred directly to his name as FUEN vice president with a strong anger by the efforts made for solution of problems of the Western Thrace Turks community. Habip Oğlu explained that along with activities carried out in international arena, ABTTF will conduct intense studies for member associations for Western Thrace Turks and he underlined that in fraternity all these can be achieved, it is important to work fearlessly with good will. He concluded his remarks by saying ABTTF will continue struggling with the same impetus and determination.
At the general assembly, Adv. Engin Bern, member of Gießen Western Thrace Turks Solidarity Association, elected as the Chairperson of the Meeting Committee. And Gökhan Işık, member of Viersen Western Thrace Turks Assistance and Solidarity Association and Mustafa Şerif, member of Lauf Western Thrace Turks Assistance and Solidarity Association elected as the secretary of Meeting Committee. General Assembly continued with the 19th period activity report read by Aydın Ahmet, ABTTF 19th Period Vice President in charge of Administrative Affairs; 19th period accounting report read by İsmail Rüşüt, 19th Period Vice President in charge of Financial Affairs; and 19th period audit report read by Halit Haşim, 19th Period Member of Audit Board. And subsequently with the open voting ABTTF 19th Period Board of Presidency discharged by majority of votes.
Habip Oğlu elected as ABTTF President directly by the General Assembly
Election was held following presentation talks by the candidates for ABTTF 20th Period Presidency and Vice Presidency and Audit and Disciplinary Boards. Halit Habip Oğlu who entered elections as a single candidate was re-elected as ABTTF President for four years by 91% votes of the delegates. Names who were candidates for 20th Period Presidency and Vice Presidency and their number of votes were as follows:
ABTTF 20. Period Candidates for Presidency
1. Halit Habip Oğlu: 100 votes
ABTTF 20. Period Candidates for Vice Presidency
1. Nabi İbrahimcik: 87 votes
2. Sami Yusuf: 86 votes
3. Aydın Ahmet: 81 votes
4. Mehmet Hüseyin: 80 votes
5. Mustafa Kasap: 79 votes
6. Sebahattin Mümin: 78 votes
7. Serdar Kalekoğlu: 77 votes
8. Ferruh Hasan: 75 votes
9. Bülent Çolak: 73 votes
10. Vedat Arap: 57 votes
11. Metin Hüseyin: 24 votes
12. Tuncay Kara Çoban: 16 votes
Accordingly, while the first 10 who received majority of the votes were elected as ABTTF 20th Period Vice Presidents, delegation of the duties among the Vice Presidents will be realized in the first meeting of 20th Period Board of Presidency consisted of 11 people to be held in the upcoming days.
At the General Assembly with the votes of the delegates İsmail Rüşüt, Halit Haşim and Yasin Hasan were elected as 20th Period Audit Board members and Erol Haşim, Halit Faik Oğlu and İsmail Apti Oğlu were elected as 20th Period Disciplinary Board members.
Following the elections, all of four distinct texts which makes referrals to current problems of the Western Thrace Turks and to the applications aiming to intimidate and suppress the community of Western Thrace Turks, addressing to the governments of Greece, motherland Republic of Turkey, Federal Republic of Germany and European Union Commission were adopted unanimously by the ABTTF General Assembly.
