Federation of Western Thrace Turks in Europe (ABTTF) conveys the current events and the latest developments occurred in Western Thrace related to the Turkish community in Western Thrace to the world public opinion through the videos made in English. At the same time, through these videos, it is aimed to better present the customs and traditions of Western Thrace and Western Thrace Turks.
Within this framework, firstly, Federation of Western Thrace Turks in Europe (ABTTF) shared the video made regarding the latest developments on the religious freedoms of the Turkish community in Western Thrace entitled “June Current News” with the public in all its social media accounts. The video includes the Presidential decree adopted on 11 June 2019 which introduces the restructure of the Mufti offices in Rhodope, Xanthi and Dimetoka in Western Thrace, 240 Imams Law, and the details of the US 2018 International Report on Religious Freedoms.
The June video covers the Presidential decree, which transformed the Mufti offices of Rhodopi, Xanthi and Dimetoka into ordinary state offices, which should be autonomous in Western Thrace according to the 1913 Treaty of Athens and 1923 Lausanne. The decree adopted on 11 June 2019 limits the powers of the Mufti offices. By the decree, the institutions of the Mufti office of the Turkish community in Western Thrace are completely affiliated to the Greek Ministry of Education and Religious Affairs and transformed into ordinary state offices.
The video also provides current information on the 240 Imam Law that Western Thrace Turks have been opposing for many years. Lastly, in June 2019, the Ministry of Education and Religious Affairs issued a resolution stipulating the appointment of 120 religion teachers (ierodidaskalos) to be employed in Western Thrace through a 9-month employment contract. In the video it is stated that the appointment of religious teachers in Western Thrace by the Greek Ministry of Education and Religious Affairs violates the freedom of religion and belief of the Turkish community in Western Thrace.
Another issue covered in the video is the US 2018 International Religious Freedoms Greece report, which gives a superficial and incomplete coverage of the problems of the Turkish community in Western Thrace. The 2017 report states that the population of the Western Thrace Turkish population is between 100 and 120 thousand, while this year's report claims that the population of the Western Thrace Turkish community is approximately 100 thousand. In the report, it is stated that the Greek government continues to appoint muftis because of their sharia power but the Turkish community in Western Thrace opposes this practice and demands the election of muftis directly by Western Thrace Turks. However, the Presidential Decree that the Turkish community in Western Thrace totally opposed, which foresees the restructure of autonomous Mufti offices in Western Thrace and transforms them into ordinary state offices by affiliating them to the Greek Ministry of Education and Religious Affairs is not mentioned.
You may watch and share the current news video covering June 2019 on ABTTF's Facebook and YouTube accounts on social media. You can also subscribe to the YouTube channel of ABTTF and watch the videos we will share about Western Thrace and ABTTF.
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/939989616164959/videos/406301006665739/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=idNnwA9baa0&feature=youtu.be
