ABTTF President: “For over 17 years, our country has persistently failed to execute the ECtHR judgments regarding the Bekir-Ousta and Others group of cases, which involves three of our associations. This constitutes a disregard for the principle of the rule of law. Our expectation and demand from those governing our country is that they cease distorting the facts and make a sincere effort to advance the rule of law and democracy in our country’’.
Greek Government Spokesperson and Deputy Prime Minister Pavlos Marinakis noted in his speech at the 89th Thessaloniki International Fair that the European Commission’s latest Rule of Law Report for 2025 was the best report in recent years in its assessment of press freedom and the rule of law in Greece.
Marinakis claimed that despite videos on social media portraying the country in a negative light, many powerful European countries received more recommendations than Greece and that the government responded to the allegations with data.
Praising the contribution of the Hellenic Broadcasting Corporation (ERT), the Athens-Macedonian News Agency (AMNA) and media workers, Marinakis indicated that a new bill had been introduced for ERT after 15 years and reforms had been made at AMNA, adding that all these steps aimed to strengthen press freedom and the accurate informing of the public in the country.
‘‘Government Spokesperson Marinakis is merely continuing to repeat the rhetoric he believes in, deliberately distorting the facts. The European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) judgment against our country just a few weeks ago has once again highlighted the worrying state of the rule of law in our country. Our country, which has persistently failed to execute the ECtHR judgments regarding three of our associations in the Bekir-Ousta and Others group of cases for over 17 years, is disregarding the principle of the rule of law. The same ECtHR, in a unanimous judgment in June 2025, again condemned our country for violating the freedom of association by refusing to register the Cultural Association of Turkish Women of the Prefecture of Xanthi. Our expectation and demand from those who govern our country is that they stop distorting the facts and make a sincere effort to develop the rule of law and democracy in our country’’, said Halit Habip Oğlu, President of the Federation of Western Thrace Turks in Europe (ABTTF).
