ABTTF
EN
SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER Bülten İcon
Batı Trakya

Video about the Greek Orthodox minority living in Istanbul

03.08.2020

Halit Habip Oğlu: “Considering the role of minority communities as bridge-builders between countries, we call on our country Greece to take the example of our motherland Turkey in the context of the positive steps it has taken towards the Greek Orthodox minority in Istanbul and to end its policy denying and ignoring the Turkish community in Western Thrace.”

A video about the Greek Orthodox minority in Istanbul has been published by the Directorate of Communications of the Presidency of the Republic of Turkey, which is the motherland of Western Thrace Turks (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uVkUESjf01c). In the video which includes remarks from the representatives and members of the Greek Orthodox minority in Istanbul, it is stated that the Greeks of Istanbul and many other Christian communities have been living in peace and dialogue for centuries in Turkey which is a mosaic of civilizations and religions in religious diversity.

According to the Millet newspaper, the remarks made by the members of the Istanbul Greek Orthodox minority living in Turkey in the video have discomforted the Ecumenical Federation of Constantinopolitans (Ec.Fe.Con.) which is based in Greece. Despite the numerous positive steps towards a solution to the issues of minorities including the Greek Orthodox minority in Istanbul and with respect to religious freedoms that Turkey has taken in the latest years, Ec.Fe.Con. continues to express its criticism targeting Turkey as regards the Greeks of Istanbul.  

“It is not possible to understand that the Ecumenical Federation of Constantinopolitans is disturbed by the sincere statements of the Greeks of Istanbul living in Turkey. Our motherland Turkey has ensured the return of many foundations belonging to the Greek Orthodox minority in Istanbul in recent years, particularly the transfer of Büyükada Orphanage to the Fener Greek Orthodox Patriarchate, and the Greeks of Istanbul live their religion and culture freely and without any restrictions. On the other hand, the educational and religious autonomy of the Turkish community in Western Thrace, which was left to Greece under the Lausanne Peace Treaty, has been usurped by various laws and practices over the years, and the Western Thrace Turks are discriminated against in almost every aspect of life and are subjected to hate speech in politics and media. Considering the role of minority communities as bridge-builders between countries, we call on our country Greece to take the example of our motherland Turkey in the context of the positive steps it has taken towards the Greek Orthodox minority in Istanbul and to end its policy denying and ignoring the Turkish community in Western Thrace”, said Halit Habip Oğlu, President of the Federation of Western Thrace Turks in Europe (ABTTF).

*Image: www.milletgazetesi.gr

PHOTO GALLERY