ABTTF President: “As the Turkish Minority in Western Thrace, we too wish to serve as a bridge of friendship between our country, Greece, and our motherland, Türkiye. However, this is unfortunately not possible because, as a result of the official state policy in our country—which is based on the denial of our Turkish identity—our minority is portrayed as an ‘‘enemy within, a threat and a danger’’ and is thus singled out as a target, both in politics and in the mainstream Greek media.”
Greek Minister of National Defence Nikos Dendias was received by Prime Minister Edi Rama in Tirana on 25 May 2026 during his official visit to Albania.
During the meeting, which addressed current geopolitical developments in the region and cooperation between the two countries, Dendias noted that his roots lie in Himara and emphasised that the Greek national minority in Albania serves as a bridge of friendship between the two countries and their peoples.
‘‘It is quite natural for Defence Minister Dendias to refer to the Greek minority in Albania and to safeguard their rights during his official visit there. As the Turkish Minority in Western Thrace, we too wish to serve as a bridge of friendship between our country, Greece, and our motherland, Türkiye. However, this is unfortunately not possible because, as a result of the official state policy in our country—which is based on the denial of our Turkish identity—our minority is portrayed as an ‘‘enemy within, a threat and a danger’’ and is thus singled out as a target, both in politics and in the mainstream Greek media. Whenever senior officials from our motherland pay official visits to our country, their attempts to raise the rights and issues of our minority are consistently rejected outright by our country. In contrast to the significant positive steps taken by our motherland in recent years towards the Orthodox Greek minority in Istanbul, Gökçeada and Bozcaada, our country applies a completely opposite policy towards the Western Thrace Turks, effectively ignoring us. We want our country to engage in direct dialogue with us on matters that directly concern our minority. For, as we have always stated, we believe that there is no issue that cannot be resolved on the basis of dialogue and goodwill’’, said Halit Habip Oğlu, President of the Federation of Western Thrace Turks in Europe (ABTTF).
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