The European Commission (EC) answered to a question for written answer titled ‘‘Stigmatisation of civil society groups in Greece’’ submitted by Member of the European Parliament (MEP) Ilhan Kyuchyuk (Bulgaria, Renew Europe) on 15 March 2025.
The response, sent on 26 June 2025 by Commissioner for Democracy, Justice, the Rule of Law and Consumer Protection Michael McGrath, on behalf of the European Commission, highlights the important role that civil society organisations (CSOs) play in upholding fundamental rights, democracy and the rule of law, and that the Commission provides support to approximately 1,500 CSOs in all 27 Member States under its Citizen Equality Rights and Values programme.
Noting that the Commission monitors significant developments regarding the situation of civic space in its annual Rule of Law Report, McGrath indicated that the 2024 chapter on Greece highlighted ongoing concerns regarding the space for civil society, and that reference was made to the Bekir-Ousta and Others group of cases, which was decided by the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) and has not been executed for more than 15 years.
McGrath explained that the Commission will continue to monitor developments in this area and will provide an up-to-date assessment in the 2025 Rule of Law Report.
In a question for written answer submitted by MEP Ilhan Kyuchyuk at the initiative of the Federation of Western Thrace Turks in Europe (ABTTF), it was pointed out that the 2024 Rule of Law Report published by the European Commission, in its chapter on Greece, noted the continuing issue of the registration of NGOs in Greece. It was explained that a study conducted by the Expert Council on NGO Law of the Council of Europe drew attention to the stigmatisation and criminalisation of certain activities of NGOs in the country.
The question pointed out that certain vulnerable groups, particularly minorities, are stigmatised and targeted in Greece, the ABTTF, which represents the Turkish community in Western Thrace, as an example.
Kyuchyuk had asked the European Commission what measures it intends to take in response to the serious setbacks in democracy, the rule of law, and human rights in Greece, and what steps it can take to address the stigmatisation of individuals and NGOs representing the Turkish community in Western Thrace.
Please click below for the answer given by the European Commission: https://www.europarl.europa.eu/doceo/document/E-10-2025-001113-ASW_EN.html#ref4.
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