ABTTF President: “Whilst other known religions in our country, Greece, are able to appoint their own religious leaders, the fact that our muftis are appointed by the state constitutes a clear double standard and discrimination. Moreover, our religious autonomy is guaranteed by treaties! We do not accept the violation of our religious autonomy. This hypocritical practice must be brought to an end, and our religious autonomy, guaranteed by treaties, must be restored!”
Greece has disregarded the religious autonomy of the Turkish Minority in Western Thrace—which is guaranteed by the 1913 Treaty of Athens and the 1923 Treaty of Lausanne—and has made new appointments to the muftiates in Komotini and Xanthi. Under presidential decrees published in the Greek Government Gazette (ΦΕΚ Υ.Ο.Δ.Δ. 1662/21.10.2026) on 21 October 2026, Bilal Kara Halil was appointed to the Muftiate of Komotini, whilst Şükrü Şerif Damatoğlu was appointed to the Muftiate of Xanthi. The term of office for both appointed muftis has been set at five years.
Greece had previously appointed Emin Şerif to the Muftiate of Didymoteicho on 9 January 2026. Thus, under Law No. 4964, adopted in 2022, the state has now appointed new muftis to all three muftiates in Didymoteicho, Komotini and Xanthi. Under this law, the muftiates were transformed into public institutions under the Ministry of Education, Religious Affairs and Sport.
“Our country, Greece, has once again disregarded our will by appointing muftis to Komotini and Xanthi, following its appointment to Didymoteicho in January. Whilst Orthodox Christians, Catholics, Protestants and Jews in our country have the right to appoint their own religious leaders, only the muftis of the Turkish Minority in Western Thrace are appointed by the state. The state has been depriving us of our right to elect our own religious leaders since 1991, and with the law passed in 2022, it has officially transformed our muftiates into state departments. What sort of double standard is this, what sort of hypocrisy? The fact that the right granted to other religions is withheld from us constitutes clear discrimination. Moreover, our religious autonomy is guaranteed by treaties! We do not accept the violation of our religious autonomy. We call upon Greece to put an end to this discriminatory practice, to restore our religious autonomy, and to officially recognise our elected muftis, Ibrahim Şerif and Mustafa Trampa’’, said Halit Habip Oğlu, President of the Federation of Western Thrace Turks in Europe (ABTTF).
*Image: www.gundemgazetesi.com
