With the elections, the Presidium of the 21st legislative period along with the Audit and Disciplinary Boards were elected to govern ABTTF for the next four years.
The Federation of Western Thrace Turks in Europe (ABTTF) realised its 21st Ordinary General Assembly meeting on Saturday 23 October 2021. Within the framework of the measures implemented in the fight against the new type of coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic, the new president and vice presidents of ABTTF and new members of the audit and disciplinary boards were elected as a result of the elections held at the General Assembly meeting held in Giessen, Germany with the participation of the delegates from the ABTTF member associations according to the 3G rule (the obligation to have been vaccinated, recovered from the disease or proof of a negative test).
Habip Oğlu: “As ABTTF, we will continue to defend the just cause of the Western Thrace Turks with the same tenacity and determination”
The ABTTF 21st Ordinary General Assembly Meeting began with a minute’s silence in memory of first and foremost the late Dr. Sadık Ahmet, leader of the Turkish community in Western Thrace along with all those who served the Western Thrace Turkish cause.
Following the minute’s silence, ABTTF President Halit Habip Oğlu delivered the opening remarks of the meeting. In his speech, Habip Oğlu stated that the autonomous primary schools belonging to the Turkish community in Western Thrace are closing one by one every year, citing economic and financial measures, noting that in the 2021-2022 school year, the total number of Turkish primary schools in Western Thrace has fallen to 103. Furthermore, Habip Oğlu noted that the muftis elected by the Turkish community in Western Thrace are subjected to arbitrary investigations and trials as a means of political repression and intimidation, and that the Turkish identity of the Turkish community in Western Thrace is denied by Greece, and that the associations bearing the word ‘Turkish’ are still remaining closed despite the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) judgments. Stating that the 1923 Lausanne Peace Treaty granted the rights to the Turkish community in Western Thrace in Greece and the Greek Orthodox minority in Turkey on the basis of reciprocity, Habip Oğlu indicated that although Turkey has taken positive steps towards the Greek Orthodox minority, the rights and freedoms of the Turkish community in Western Thrace in Greece have been taken away over the years and its educational and religious autonomy has been obliterated. Reminding that ABTTF, founded in 1988, today defends the just cause of the Turkish community in Western Thrace within the framework of the international platforms through its headquarters and its Brussels and Athens offices and raises its issues, Habip Oğlu stressed that ABTTF will continue to fight with the same tenacity and determination. Habip Oğlu ended his remarks by thanking all the delegates who attended the general assembly meeting despite the extraordinary conditions caused by the coronavirus pandemic in daily life.
With the votes of all the delegates attending ABTTF 21st Ordinary General Assembly Meeting, Solidarity Association of Western Thrace Turks in Giessen Member Rıdvan Hasan was elected Council Board Chair and Culture and Solidarity Association of Western Thrace Turks in Viersen Member Fatma Kalekoğlu along with ABTTF Head Office Manager K. Engin Soyyılmaz were elected as Council Board secretaries.
The General Assembly meeting continued with the reading and discussion of the 20th period activities report by Head Office Manager K. Engin Soyyılmaz, the 20th period treasury report by ABTTF Vice President Sebahattin Mümin and the 20th audit report by ABTTF Audit Board President Halit Haşim. Immediately afterwards, ABTTF 20th Period Presidium was discharged by a majority vote.
ABTTF 21st Period President and Vice Presidents along with Audit and Disciplinary Boards were elected
The elections were held following the introductory speeches realised by the candidates. Halit Habip Oğlu, who stood for the ABTTF 21st Period presidential election as the only candidate, was re-elected as ABTTF President for four years with the votes of all the delegates.
As a result of the elections, ABTTF 21st Period Presidium, Audit and Disciplinary Boards were formed as follows:
ABTTF 21st Period Presidium
President: Halit Habip Oğlu
Vice President: Nabi İbrahimcik
Vice President: Serdar Kalekoğlu
Vice President: Mehmet Hüseyin
Vice President: Aydın Ahmet
Vice President: Mustafa Kasap
Vice President: Sami Yusuf
Vice President: Sebahattin Mümin
Vice President: Vedat Arap
Vice President: Fuat Ali
Vice President: Ali Osman
ABTTF 21st Period Audit Board
Halit Haşim
Şerif Şerif
Yasin Hasan
ABTTF 21st Period Disciplinary Board
İsmail Apti Oğlu
Erol Haşim
Halit Faik Oğlu
The first meeting of the 21st Period Presidium which is composed of 11 members will determine the distribution of duties among the Vice Presidents in the coming days.
Following the elections, two separate texts regarding the autonomous status of the Turkish community in Western Thrace with respect to education and the empowerment of its political struggle were unanimously adopted by the ABTTF General Assembly.
