ABTTF: "Malicious statements before upcoming elections"

ABTTF President: “Ramadan is sacred for the Islamic world, and it continues to be kept alive as a religious and cultural tradition in Western Thrace Turkish community with iftars and other events. Just as important religious days of other well-known religions in our country are respected and even celebrated by others, the same respect and tolerance should prevail towards Western Thrace Turkish community. There is not, and cannot be, a situation that contradicts the political ideologies of the parties."

In her article published on Komotinipress.com on March 13, 2023, Stavroula Markou, Member of the Coordination Secretariat of SYRIZA Rhodope Provincial Organization, referred to the photo of Sibel Mustafaoğlu, PASOK-KINAL Rhodope Provincial Deputy Candidate, with the imsakiye(calendar showing pray times) and headscarf printed on the occasion of the upcoming Ramadan claimed that their appearance was a cause for concern.

Markou stated that the photographs of the candidates belonging to the Western Thrace Turkish community contrast with the history, ideology, and statements of the political parties on women's rights, equality, separation of the state and church, the abolition of the Sharia provisions, which is the traditional Islamic law, and other issues. Markou stated that the political parties remained silent in the face of this situation, which she found alarming, and claimed that this situation was also dangerous for peaceful coexistence in the region by creating a "divisive climate" in the region.

Regarding the issue, Halit Habipoplu, President of the European Western Thrace Turkish Federation (ABTTF), said, "Before the upcoming elections in our country, the names nominated from the majority parties belonging to the Western Thrace Turkish community have been wearing the headscarf they put on because of the holy month of Ramadan, which is holy for Muslims, and because of the religious events they attended in the past. It is malicious to claim that his photographs, which are in the middle of nowhere, contradict the ideologies of political parties or the principle of peaceful coexistence in the region. Because Ramadan is sacred for the Islamic world, it continues to be kept alive as a religious and cultural tradition in Western Thrace Turkish community with iftars and other events. Just as important religious days of other well-known religions in our country are respected and even celebrated by others, the same respect and tolerance should prevail towards Western Thrace Turkish society. There is not, and cannot be, a situation that contradicts the political ideologies of the parties. Markou, who lives in Rhodope, knows the people in our region very well, and he must be well aware of the religious and cultural importance of Ramadan for our society. It is meaningless to put forward unrealistic claims instead of dealing with the current problems of Western Thrace Turkish community. In fact, such malicious and untrue statements create a divisive climate in the region.”