The ninth part of the online programme series of the Federation of Western Thrace Turks in Europe (ABTTF) titled ‘‘Facts about Our Country’’ was broadcast on 14 July 2022.
The guest of the ninth programme was Loránt Vincze, Member of the European Parliament (MEP) and President of the Federal Union of European Nationalities (FUEN), who belongs to the Hungarian minority in Romania.
In the programme moderated by Deniz Servantie from ABTTF Brussels Office, Vincze answered questions with respect to the current situation of the national minorities in Europe, the steps to be taken towards the protection of national minorities at the European Union (EU) level and the European Citizens’ Initiative ‘‘Minority SafePack (MSPI)’’ coordinated by FUEN and the Turkish community in Western Thrace in Greece and the broader view of minority rights in the country.
Vincze, who is also Co-Chair of the EP Intergroup for Traditional Minorities, National Communities and Languages, indicated that the communities that differ from the majority population by their own language, culture, customs and traditions are defined as national or indigenous minorities, noting that some of the EU Member States, such as Greece, do not recognise in any way national minorities within their borders.
Noting that approximately 40 million people in Europe speak various minority languages, Vincze said that opportunities should be granted to the national minorities in different areas such as education in mother tongue, financing institutions belonging to the national minorities and allowing media outlets as well as facilitating the use of minority languages in the public sphere. Highlighting that the situation in the EU Member States is different in this regard, Vincze noted that while national minorities are not recognised in Greece and France, the Swedish-speaking community in Finland and the rights of German and Ladin national minorities in the South Tyrol region in Italy are strongly protected.
Vincze stated that the term ‘Muslim minority in Thrace’ is used by Greece for the Turkish community in Western Thrace and that this is unacceptable, indicating that language and religion are two different issues. Underlining that even in the execution of the judgments of the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) on the associations belonging to the Turkish community in Western Thrace, Greece has not taken the slightest positive step, Vincze further indicated that Greece is far from being the cradle of democracy because it does not implement basic standards for minority rights.
Furthermore, Vincze noted that FUEN has resorted to different means to increase the pressure against Greece to find solutions to the issues of the Turkish community in Western Thrace, but that this has not been sufficient, pointing out that the pressure should come from institutions across Europe such as the Council of Europe and the EU.
Vincze also explained that MSPI, coordinated by FUEN, was launched with the aim of providing strong support for national minorities and their rights, cultures and languages, and that in this context, many different demands were added to the initiative, adding that MSPI has become a concept and that they were now stronger and more determined, despite the rejection of the legislative proposals in the initiative by the European Commission. Noting that the EU Member States such as Germany, Denmark, Belgium, Italy and Hungary are already backing the initiative, Vincze further indicated that they expect to soon win a case before the European Court of Justice with respect to the rejection of the initiative.
Finally, Vincze said that they encourage the support of the languages and cultures of national minorities that constitute a part of Europe’s cultural heritage, and that the EU should pay more attention to national minorities and their languages and cultures, and this should also be supported by majority populations.
You can watch the full English-language programme, which was broadcast live simultaneously on ABTTF’s YouTube channel and Facebook page, by clicking on the links below:
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UIO_oBSYXLU&t=146s
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/939989616164959/videos/454795379825247
