Greece’s denial policy against Turkish identity in Western Thrace continues
The Greek state has once again demonstrated its refusal to acknowledge the Turkish identity in Western Thrace. In response to a social media post by Türkiye's Ministry of Foreign Affairs regarding the anniversary of the Xanthi Turkish Union’s establishment, Greece’s Foreign Ministry reiterated its denial of the Turkish identity of the Western Thrace minority. The statement emphasized that the Lausanne Treaty recognizes the minority as a “religious” minority rather than an ethnic one, further revealing the state's antagonism toward Turkish identity.
However, the issue goes beyond the Lausanne Treaty. It reflects a deep-rooted aversion within the state towards Turkish identity. Using the Lausanne Treaty as a shield to disregard the existence of Turkish people in Western Thrace, and denying the cultural identity of this community, amounts to an act of identity assassination. This is not only unlawful, but also an assault on the cultural values of the people.
The Greek state reacts strongly to the use of the word “Turkish” in Western Thrace, while allowing associations that do not include “Turkish” in their names to form and operate freely. In some cases, it even supports these organizations. Despite rulings from the European Court of Human Rights, institutions like the Xanthi Turkish Union are still denied official recognition. This is not a legal matter, but an ideological obstinacy and intolerance toward Turkish identity.
The representatives of this flawed mindset, who hide behind the Lausanne Treaty to ignore the Turkish population of Western Thrace, seem to treat the treaty as a pliable tool. While the Treaty does mention “Muslim” in its definition of the minority, this should not be construed as an erasure of the minority's ethnic or cultural identity.
To claim that the absence of “Turkish” in the Lausanne Treaty means people cannot be Turkish is akin to arguing that because the Treaty does not mention “Muslim,” people cannot be Muslim. This illogical reasoning has no end.
International law today is clear: The right to define an ethnic (national/cultural) identity belongs solely to the community itself. At this point, everyone should remain silent. Yet, tragically, the denialist mentality in Greece continues its propaganda, claiming “there are no Turks, only Muslims.”
It’s absurd: If identifying as an ethnic group is a crime, then how is it justified to label the minority with terms like “Pomak,” “Roma,” or “Greek origin”? Where in the Lausanne Treaty are Pomaks, Roma, or Greek minorities mentioned? This is a contradiction, a display of fake legalism.
More troubling is the fact that while it is a crime to identify as ethnic Turks, others are free to label the minority as belonging to different ethnicities. The same state that threatens those who declare their Turkish identity with labels like “You are a Pomak” or “You are Greek” considers this an expression of freedom.
It is important to remember that the core of the Western Thrace Turkish community includes Pomaks, who trace their ancestry to the Cumans, Kipchaks, and Pechenegs. Therefore, people from the region prefer to use the term “Pomak Turks,” avoiding the label “Greek Pomaks” to resist being used as propaganda.
The Greek state's policy aims to present Pomaks as an ethnic group that forms the oldest roots of the Greek nation, distorting historical and ethnological facts. This mentality, which is willing to twist facts for its own agenda, uses the Pomak identity to further its propaganda of assimilating the Turkish minority.
This mentality is unacceptable. It is not just far behind contemporary democracy, but also behind the most basic standards of human rights. While denying the Turkish identity in Western Thrace, Greece openly refers to the ethnic identity of the Greek Orthodox minority in Istanbul, Bozcaada, and Gökçeada. While advocating for ethnic rights for these minorities, they treat the Turkish minority of Western Thrace as merely a “religious minority.” What kind of conscience is this? What kind of sense of equality is this?
In conclusion, this policy is no longer sustainable. This denialist politics have collapsed. The Greek state must face the reality of the Turkish Minority in Western Thrace—citizens who are loyal to their land, their flag, who pay taxes, serve in the military, work honestly, and proudly carry their identity. No matter what the Lausanne Treaty says, it does not grant the right to deny this reality. Neither international law nor human conscience allows this.
It is time to face the truth. This people is here, and they are Turkish. Nothing more, nothing less.
