ABTTF President: “We want our country to grant our community the same rights that are being demanded for the Greek Orthodox minority, with whom we share the same fate under the Treaty of Lausanne. This is what befits our country, which defines itself as the cradle of democracy at every opportunity and is one of the oldest members of the European Union.”
The Panagia Church in Bozcaada, located in the province of Çanakkale, Türkiye, reopened for worship on 28 July 2025 following the completion of restoration work. The first service held in the church in many years was led by Fener Greek Orthodox Patriarch Bartholomew.
Speaking at the first Saint Panteleimon feast held at the Panagia Church, New Democracy (ND) MP and Secretary General of the Inter-Parliamentary Assembly on Orthodoxy (IAO) Maximos Charakopoulos expressed his hope to see the revival of the Greek presence in Bozcaada.
Charakopoulos indicated that the return of Greeks to their homes in Gökçeada and the reopening of schools had created cautious optimism for the future, and that they shared the same hope for Bozcaada. He added that they hoped the necessary steps would be taken to enable the Greeks of Bozcaada to return to their homeland. Charakopoulos stated that a revived Greek community in Bozcaada could play an important role not only in terms of religion and culture, but also in terms of friendly relations between Türkiye and Greece.
‘‘While the historic church in Bozcaada, where a small number of Greek Orthodox minorities live, has been reopened for worship, our motherland has once again set an example for our country in this regard. During the service at the church, Charakopoulos expressed his desire for an increase in the Greek population in Bozcaada. As the Turkish community in Western Thrace, we also demand that our existence be immediately recognised by our country and that we be treated equally. As Greek citizens, we pay taxes to our country and contribute to the development of our region, Western Thrace. We want our country to grant our community the same rights that are being demanded for the Greek Orthodox minority, with whom we share the same fate under the Treaty of Lausanne. This is what befits our country, which defines itself as the cradle of democracy at every opportunity and is one of the oldest members of the European Union’’, said Halit Habip Oğlu, President of the Federation of Western Thrace Turks in Europe (ABTTF).
*Image: www.anadoluimages.com
