No Visa for friendship and brotherliness

For the participation at the festivities celebrated for centuries in Seçek( Greek: Chloj) in the Eastern mountains of Rodopen this year had been invited the traditional folk dance groups of the Turkish ministry of education and cultural affairs, vocal performances and artists of the Turkish radio and TV broadcasting companies (TRT), Turkish wrestlers, one of them is the winner of the oil-wrestling championship of Edirne-Kýrkpýnar, who is called "Kýrkpýnar Aðasý". But the same as already in the last year the Greek authorities did not issue entry visa.

This reflects badly on the efforts and rapprochements towards Turkey and Greece. This behaviour of the Greek authorities is a concrete example for continuing with the isolation of the Turkish minority in Western Thrace. At the traditional Seçek-Festival, which took place at 31st of July and 1st of August, this year thousands of Turks of Western Thrace came, as well as local important people and governors, representatives and mayors of the surrounding provinces. However, the friendly and brotherly atmosphere of the festivities became strained by the fact that the visa were not issued.

Hasan Bekirusta, chairman of the association for education and culture in Seçek explained: “We are distressed at this incident. This does not correspond to the Turkish-Greek friendship!” Þerif Ýbrahim, chairman of the advisory committee of the Turkish minority of Western Thrace and mufti of Komitini explained: “The important people certainly use palliative words but the people, who were invited could not come. We will not be fed by glossing over the facts.“

As federation of the Turks of Western Thrace in Europe we harshly condemn this practice of the Greek authorities. We even expect from them the support of the friendly atmosphere, which has been developed between Turkey and Greece.