President of the Federation of Western Thrace Turks of Europe (ABTTF) Halit Habip Oğlu paid a working visit to Brussels, the capital of the European Union (EU), on 21 May 2025.
During his working visit, accompanied by ABTTF International Relations Director Melek Kırmacı and Deniz Servantie from ABTTF Brussels Office, Habip Oğlu met with Member of the European Parliament (MEP) Herbert Dorfmann (EPP, Italy), representing the German minority in Italy.
Congratulating Dorfmann on his re-election in the EP elections held in June 2024, Habip Oğlu conveyed to him the current issues and human rights violations faced by the Turkish community in Western Thrace.
Habip Oğlu indicated that Greece has persistently failed to execute the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) judgments regarding the Bekir-Ousta and Others group of cases for the past 17 years, and noted that the Western Thrace Fenerbahçe Culture and Sports Association, established in 2022 and officially registered, was dissolved on 28 May 2024 on grounds that the phrase ‘‘Western Thrace’’ in its name was contrary to public order.
Referring to the claim for damages filed by ABTTF against the Athens-based news site newsbreak.gr for defamatory and false news about ABTTF, Habip Oğlu explained that the hearing of the case in the higher court was held on 8 May 2025, that the legal process is ongoing, and that they are awaiting the court’s decision.
During the meeting, which also addressed the economic development of Western Thrace, ideas were exchanged regarding potential joint initiatives that could be undertaken at the European Parliament.
