ABTTF President: “As emphasised in the report, the Turkish community in Western Thrace is also directly affected by this negative situation caused by chronic problems persisting in the civil society sector in our country. Human rights defenders belonging to our community and NGOs representing our community are subject to discrediting and defamation as a result of the state’s official policy of perceiving our community as the ‘‘other’’ and ‘‘dangerous and ‘‘threat’’.
The Hellenic League for Human Rights (HLHR), Vouliwatch, HIAS Greece, Refugee Support Aegean (RSA), the Greek Council for Refugees (GCR), Homo Digitalis, Reporters United and Solomon, drew attention to the alarming decline in the rule of law in Greece in their joint report submitted to the European Commission for 2025.
The independent civil society organisations (CSOs) presenting the report indicated that chronic and interrelated problems persist in Greece in the areas of the justice system, legislative processes, transparency rules, press freedom, civil society and personal data protection, emphasising that this situation weakens democratic balance and control mechanisms.
The report criticised the poor and hasty legislative processes in the country, hundreds of legislative provisions adopted without public consultation, omnibus regulations covering unrelated topics, the targeting of CSOs, the concentration of the media in the hands of a few, and the lack of transparency in public procurement. It is noted that the European Commission’s assessments do not align with the situation on the ground and that the government has established a system that avoids accountability.
“The joint report submitted to the European Commission by independent NGOs familiar with the field lays bare the systematic violation of the rule of law in our country, Greece, in all its stark reality, while also serving as a very serious warning to the government. As emphasised in the report, the Turkish community in Western Thrace is also directly affected by this negative situation caused by chronic problems persisting in the civil society sector in our country. Human rights defenders belonging to our community and NGOs representing our community are subject to discrediting and defamation as a result of the state’s official policy of perceiving our community as the ‘‘other’’ and ‘‘dangerous and ‘‘threat’’. The most recent and concrete example of this is the case involving 17 individuals representing our community who were directly targeted in a local news site, facing baseless accusations, and which has now been referred to a higher court’’, said Halit Habip Oğlu, President of the Federation of Western Thrace Turks in Europe (ABTTF).
*Image: www.anadoluimages.com
