At the webinar attended by representatives of the Turkish community in Western Thrace, former President Pavlopoulos said that Greece has always acted in accordance with the Treaty of Lausanne and international law.
The Federation of Western Thrace Turks in Europe (ABTTF) attended the seminar titled ‘Aspects of the status of Minorities under the Treaty of Lausanne’ which was organised by the European Public Law Organization (EPLO) online on 25 August 2020. Fatma Ahmetcik, member of ABTTF International Affairs and Lobby Group, attended the meeting along with representatives from the Western Thrace Minority University Graduates Association (WTMUGA) and the Friendship, Equality and Peace (FEP Party) and numerous representatives from civil society. Former President and Athens National and Kapodistrian University Faculty of Law Honorary Professor Prokopis Pavlopoulos and also from the same university Professor of Constitutional Law Spyridon Vlachopoulos took part to the webinar as panellists whilst the moderation was realised by Director of EPLO and Athens National and Kapodistrian University Professor Spyridon Flogaitis.
Pavlopoulos stated that the Treaty of Lausanne defines the ethnic Greek minority in Istanbul and that comparatively, it defines the ethnic Muslim minority in Western Thrace, claiming that Greece had always complied with the provisions of the Treaty of Lausanne and fulfilled the requirements of international law. Indicating that Greece is of the view that the Treaty of Lausanne cannot be changed, Pavlopoulos explained that the Turkish community in Western Thrace is being treated in a manner which is in conformity with the Treaty of Lausanne and the requirements of national law, adding that all of its rights are granted in the areas of education and religion. Pavlopoulos said in his speech that Turkey's statements that Greece did not comply with Treaty of Lausanne were provocative, claiming that Turkey had not fulfilled its obligations regarding the Treaty of Lausanne.
During the seminar, in a question addressed to Pavlopoulos, WTMUGTA member Kerem Aptürahimoğlu indicated that with the 1913 Treaty of Athens, the 1920 Greek Treaty of Sevres had been confirmed at the Treaty of Lausanne and asked how he interpreted the provisions regarding the elections of the Chief Mufti. In his response, Pavlopoulos added that the Muftis are an organ which is bound to the state. Furthermore, Aptürahimoğlu also added that beyond Lausanne, Greece did not sign the Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities (FCNM) with respect to national minorities nor the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages and thus asked him how he interpreted the non-recognition of Turkish identity by Greece. In his response, Pavlopoulos added that Greece implemented all of the treaties it was a party to and that with respect to the treaties it was not a party to, that it has the obligation to protect public order and national security. Pavlopoulos accused Turkey of approving the treaties but not implementing them, claiming that Greece has always complied with human rights conventions.
