ABTTF President: '‘Just as our country takes care of the Greek Orthodox minority in Albania and the Greek Orthodox minority in our homeland, just as the rulers of our country visit Greek schools during their visits to Istanbul and Gökçeada, it is natural and normal for the president of our motherland to take care of us by protecting the rights of our community and for the deputy minister of our motherland to visit Celal Bayar Turkish Secondary and High School during his visit to Western Thrace.’'
In his speech at the AK Party Group Meeting at the Grand National Assembly of Türkiye on the occasion of the 29th anniversary of the death of the late Dr. Sadık Ahmet, the leader of the Turkish community in Western Thrace, President of the Republic of Türkiye Recep Tayyip Erdoğan indicated that they are following all the steps taken by Greece and that Türkiye will stand by the Western Thrace Turks with all its means.
Greek diplomatic sources responded to President Erdoğan’s statements referring to the Turkish community in Western Thrace, claiming that the members of the Muslim minority in (Western) Thrace have equal rights and that issues related to the rule of law and the protection of the human rights of Greek citizens are not and cannot be opened for discussion.
“Just as our country protects the Greek Orthodox minority in Albania and the Greek Orthodox minority in our motherland, just as the rulers of our country visit Greek schools during their visits to Istanbul and Gökçeada, it is natural and normal that the president of our motherland protects us by considering the rights of our community, and that the deputy minister of our motherland visits Celal Bayar Turkish Secondary and High School during his visit to Western Thrace. Our motherland shows our community that we are not alone. Moreover, at the request of the Prime Minister of our country, Fredi Beleri, who belongs to the Greek minority in Albania, was nominated and elected in the European Parliament elections from the list of the ruling New Democracy. However, when our motherland stands up for us and defends our Turkish identity, rights and freedoms, it is labelled as a provocation. Our country must put an end to this double standard. We are citizens of this country and as we have always expressed, we believe that there is no issue that cannot be solved as long as there is dialogue and goodwill”, said Halit Habip Oğlu, President of the Federation of Western Thrace Turks in Europe (ABTTF).
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