ABTTF President: “Whatever the dervish’s idea is, it is his chant’, that is, what the heart thinks, the tongue speaks. We are perceived as a threat to national security and public order in our own country! Unfortunately, this perception is not limited to Athanasiou! This is the mentality of the state, the perception in today’s politics, and the view of the media! We are marginalised, we are perceived as a threat!’’
New Democracy Party Deputy and Second Deputy Speaker of the Greek Parliament Charalampos Athanasiou made a scandalous statement. Athanasiou alluded to the Turkish deputies belonging to the Turkish community in Western Thrace, noting that if a Muslim deputy from northern Greece who is not Orthodox but has a completely different religious orientation, informs a neighbouring country about where migrants will arrive, the deputy can be wiretapped as national security constitutes a priority.
In a television interview, Athanasiou indicated that under certain circumstances, it may be legal to wiretap deputies, adding that according to Article 19 of the Greek Constitution regarding the secrecy of communications, the confidentiality of all correspondence and communications is inviolable, further noting that in the same article, the guaranties under which the judicial authority shall not be bound by this secrecy as for reasons related to national security are specified by law. As an example of this situation, Athanasiou’s allusion to the Turkish deputies belonging to the Turkish community in Western Thrace and saying that it would be possible for the deputies to be legally wiretapped on grounds of national security dropped like a bombshell.
“Charalampos Athanasiou’s statement is absolutely scandalous! Is Greece not an EU country but a banana republic? What should we understand from Athanasiou’s statement? Are our deputies in the Parliament being wiretapped as a source danger on grounds of national security? First of all, legal wiretapping on grounds of national security does not show that this is legitimate! The fact that Athanasiou cites our Turkish deputies in parliament as an example of how deputies can be legally wiretapped clearly shows his perspective on the Turkish community in Western Thrace in the country and our deputies who represent our community in parliament. ‘Whatever the dervish’s idea is, it is his chant’, that is, what the heart thinks, the tongue speaks. We are perceived as a threat to national security and public order in our own country! After this statement, Athanasiou should resign! I regret to say that this perception is not limited to Athanasiou! This is the mentality of the state, the perception in today’s politics, and the view of the media! We are marginalised, we are perceived as a threat! We are not seen as part of this country; we are not treated as such! The Minority policy of the state from past to present reflects this understanding and attitude!’’, said Halit Habip Oğlu, President of the Federation of Western Thrace Turks in Europe (ABTTF).
