BAKES, DEB Party and ABTTF commonly hosted an international media conference

ABTTF President Halit Habipoğlu: We are here to support Gundem and Millet

Federation of Western Thrace Turks in Europe (ABTTF), Western Thrace Minority Culture and Education Foundation (BAKES), Friendship, Equality and Peace (DEB) Party have commonly hosted an international conference “Minority Press in Europe; Freedom of Expression and Media” in Komotini in order to raise the problems Western Thrace Turkish Minority goes through in terms of media freedom.

Dr. Kostas Tsitselikis: The tolerance to diversity shows the credibility of democracy

BAKES President and editor of Gundem newspaper Cemil Kabza, DEB Party President Mustafa Ali Çavuş and ABTTF President Halit Habipoğlu took floor within the opening address of the conference in the evening of 22 March. BAKES President Cemil Kabza described the minority press, going through a tough period, as the mirror of respective society and the sole rapporteur of the Western Thrace Turkish Minority. DEB Party President Mustafa Ali Çavuş pointed out the restraints imposed on Western Thrace Turkish Minority in terms of right to education, media freedom and freedom of religion or belief. ABTTF President Halit Habipoğlu, with a remark on this unique occasion that the three minority institutions for the first time gathered to organise this event, said ‘Today we undersign a unique historical event with the participation of Federal Union of European Nationalities (FUEN) President Hans Heinrich Hansen and European Association of Daily Newspapers in Minority and Regional Languages (MIDAS) Governing Board Member Bojan Brezigar. In solidarity with Gundem and Millet at their trial with Hara Nikopoulou case, which sentenced the two newspapers to excessive fines of compensation, we are in Western Thrace together with Mr. Hansen and Mr. Brezigar’.

Hülya Emin: Minority press is, in several cases, perceived and reflected as a threat to national integrity

The speakers of the first session were Professor Kostas Tsitselikis from the Department of Balkan, Slavic and Oriental Studies at University of Macedonia and Hülya Emin, the owner and General Director of Gundem Newspaper. Drawing the attention of the participants on nationalist discourses recently on rise in Greece, Tsitselikis stated that the tolerance to diversity affirms the credibility of democracy. Having held his speech on the media legislation in Greece and freedom of expression and press, Tsitselikis indicated that the legislation on press is problematic. Hülya Emin suggested that apart from economic and technical problems, the minority press faces obstacles on grounds of being from and serving minority. Emin underlined that the minority press is in several cases perceived and reflected as a threat to national integrity.

MIDAS Governing Board Member Bojan Brezigar: The minorities form 10% of the whole population in Europe

In the second session, moderated by Dr. Ali Huseyinoglu, referring to the 6000 languages spoken in the world, MIDAS Governing Board Member Bojan Brezigar declared that the minorities in Europe make up 10% of the population.

FUEN President Hansen: The States should support the minority press institutions

With a mention on his first visit to Western Thrace in October 2012, FUEN President Hans Heinrich Hansen asserted the obligation of states to support minority press institutions. Hansen has furthermore provided detailed information on ‘Minority Citizen Initiative’ which in its adoption would enable EU citizens to submit European Commission legislative proposals. As he could not travel to Komotini given a health issue, Oliver Vujovic, General Secretary of (South East Europe Media Organization SEEMO delivered his speech online.