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WESTERN THRACE
Our right to elect our muftis is not up for debate; the state is usurping our rights!
08.04.2026
ABTTF President: “We condemn all of the state’s unlawful and illegitimate practices based on the usurpation of rights. The mufti issue is directly linked not only to the religious identity but also to the cultural and social identity of the Turkish community in Western Thrace. Therefore, any practice that disregards the will of the Turk...
ABTTF President Habip Oğlu: You are not alone! You have the support of a community of 150,000 people behind you!
01.04.2026
On 11 October 2024, a lawsuit was filed against Hüseyin Baltacı, Ozan Ahmetoğlu, Bahri Belço, and Murat Köse, representatives of the Turkish community in Western Thrace, for opposing the provocation by the then-appointed mufti regents of Komotini, Xanthi, and Didymoteicho during Friday prayers at the Çınar Mosque in Xanthi. ...
A request was made to ban Turkish and headscarves at Komotini Public Hospital
09.03.2026
ABTTF President: “The Spartakos List’s letter, which is entirely provocative in content and disregards our community's native language, culture, and religious beliefs, is absolutely unacceptable and aims to disrupt the peace and tranquillity in our region of Western Thrace”. The far-right Spartakos List, represented in the ...
ABTTF President Habip Oğlu: The collective iftar programmes in Western Thrace appear to have upset some circles
04.03.2026
At the occasion of the holy month of Ramadan, traditional collective iftar programmes are being held in the Western Thrace region of Greece. The iftar programmes, which are being held in various Turkish villages of the region and where high-level guests from Türkiye have attended, have also been reported by the Greek press. “Eac...
A cross was drawn on the wall of the Hürriyet Mosque in Xanthi
02.03.2026
ABTTF President: “We condemn in the strongest terms this despicable attack on our mosque during the holy month of Ramadan. This ugly attack against our sacred place and the Turkish community in Western Thrace, which aims to damage the atmosphere of peace and tranquillity in our region, is absolutely unacceptable. We expect the authorities to ...
What is the National Demographic Action Plan aiming to achieve in Western Thrace?
18.02.2026
ABTTF President: “Without concrete economic investments that will create employment opportunities in parallel with resettlement, the economic and social development of the region is not possible. The government previously established the inter-party Commission for the Development of Thrace which adopted its final report in November 2021, but ...
Imposition of Orthodox Christian rituals on Muslim pupils belonging to the Turkish community in Western Thrace
10.02.2026
ABTTF President: “We strongly condemn this event, which constitutes a clear attack on the religious and cultural values of our community with the aim of alienating our pupils from their own identities through assimilation. We call upon the relevant authorities to fully respect our pupils’ freedom of religion and conscience and to take t...
ABTTF President Habip Oğlu: The religious autonomy of the Turkish community in Western Thrace has once again been disregarded!
27.01.2026
ABTTF President: “In our country, the Greek Orthodox Church—the prevailing religion—and the recognised Jewish community are religiously autonomous; as communities, they freely organise their internal affairs without state intervention. All known religions in the country have an autonomous structure; the state intervenes only in ou...
Minister of Education Zacharaki responds to parliamentary question regarding the visit of the Turkish Consul General in Komotini to Turkish schools in Western Thrace
15.01.2026
ABTTF President: “The Consul General of our motherland Türkiye in Komotini, a signatory to the Treaty of Lausanne, visited Turkish primary schools in his jurisdiction, having obtained the necessary legal authorisations in accordance with the principle of reciprocity, and listened to their problems on the spot. Similarly, in the recent pa...
Another blow to the religious autonomy of the Turkish community in Western Thrace!
09.01.2026
ABTTF President: “This decision is absolutely unacceptable and null and void for our community. We call upon our country to address the issue of muftis in direct dialogue with our community, to recognise the muftis elected by the free will of our community, and to immediately cease its unilateral practices that violate our religious autonomy&...
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