ABTTF Analyzes Election Results

Federation of Western Thrace Turks in Europe (ABTTF) evaluated the election results of 21 May. In the statement, it was emphasised that the candidates from the Turkish minority received 43.950 votes in total and the number of minority MPs increased to four.

ABTTF President Halit Habipoğlu stated the following in his evaluation of the election results "We left the 21 May elections behind. As you may remember, I had called for 'Let's be in Western Thrace on 21 May, let's go to the polls and vote for our Turkish candidates!' After making this call, I came to my hometown, went to the polls in my village and cast my vote. As a result of the elections, while the colour of the whole country was painted blue, the colour of New Democracy, only in Rhodope the map was painted in the colour of SYRIZA. In Rhodope we increased our number of MPs to two with the entry of Özgür Ferhat, a candidate from the SYRIZA Party, into the parliament. In Xanthi, Hüseyin Zeybek and Burhan Baran, MPs from the SYRIZA Party, were re-elected and entered the parliament. There are 3 deputies from Rhodope and Xanthi, 2 of these 3 deputies in both provinces belong to our community. Although it is said that 'there are no Turks in Western Thrace', the result of the elections clearly demonstrates our presence in the region and our strength with our voting potential. We have shown our existence and strength to the rulers of our country, political parties and the people of the country, and we have made our presence felt strongly as a community. No party has the luxury to ignore us in our region when the elections come, even if they ignore us or ignore our demands! Therefore, all parties should know that there is no way they can gain success in the region by ignoring us! From now on, I hope that everyone will act with the awareness of this reality."