ABTTF got the ECOSOC consultative status

Federation of Western Thrace Turkish Minority in Europe (ABTTF), roof organization of 29 Western Thrace Turkish associations throughout Europe, got the representation right at the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC). ABTTF is the seventh member Turkish organization at the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC).

Federation of Western Thrace Turks in Europe, the seventh member Turkish organization at the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), has been the voluntary representative of Western Thrace Turkish Minority members since its foundation in 1988. ABTTF is the first Western Thrace Turkish members’ organization that is recognized by the United Nations. Federation has the right to open representative offices in New York, Vienna, Geneva where United Nations has centres. ABTTF, special status NGO, has the right to give consultancy to United Nations in the scope of minorities and the themes relating Western Thrace Turkish Minority members. With the new status, ABTTF can attend international meetings and make presentations.

The Best Answer to Greece

“All Turkish names are forbidden in the public area and moreover, the organizations that have Turkish names do not have legal permit to carry on their activities in Greece. The best answer to Greece is given by United Nations when Turkish organizations have been recognized and given the consultative status at ECOSOC.” said Habipoğlu and continued “ Our country, Greece, has presented our efforts to get our basic rights as marginal actions in the international platforms and tried to blacken our peaceful activities. We achieved to express our demands at Council of Europe and United Nations. United Nations has declared ABTTF as the special status NGO and this is the most important affirmation in the international platform for us and for our peaceful activities to get our basic rights. We hope, this will a sigh for Greece to change its policy towards Western Thrace Turkish Minority members.”

ECOSOC is the supreme international platform among the international NGOs and has given 2719 NGO the representative status throughout the world. The NGO that can have the representative status in ECOSOC must be non - govermental, non – profit, pacifist and must have democratic decision-making mechanisms. Members of ECOSOC can use the expression “Non-Governmental Organisation in a Special Representative Consultative Status with the Economic and Social. Council of the United Nations” which gives the members a special international legitimation power.