ABTTF President Habipoğlu evaluates the visit of Prime Minister Mitsotakis to Ankara

Greek Prime Minister Kiryakos Mitsotakis paid an official visit to Ankara on 13 May 2024 upon the invitation of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. Prime Minister Mitsotakis met with President Erdoğan at the Presidential Complex in Beştepe. After the meeting, President Erdoğan and Prime Minister Mitsotakis held a joint press conference.

Stating that rapprochement and co-operation are for the benefit of the people of both countries, President Erdoğan also touched upon the Turkish community in Western Thrace in his speech. Stating that they see the minority issue as a human bridge of friendship between the two countries, Erdoğan said: "We expect the positive atmosphere in our relations to contribute to the fulfilment of the rights of the Turkish minority and our compatriots in Greece. The Turkish minority in Greece and the Greek minority in Türkiye are the building blocks of our human and cultural wealth. The increase in the peace and welfare of the minorities will positively affect our relations. I expressed our expectations for the improvements required by international law in the situation of the Turkish minority in Western Thrace."

In his speech, Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis thanked the hospitality shown to him and his delegation and responded to President Erdoğan's remarks about the Turkish community in Western Thrace. Stating that he sincerely believes that the minorities in Greece, as defined by the Treaty of Lausanne, are the bridge of friendship between the two peoples, Mitsotakis said: "On the one hand, the Greek minority enriches the cultural and social life of Türkiye, even though it has shrunk considerably in terms of population. However, it needs the help of the Turkish state to maintain this. In Thrace, on the other hand, our Christian and Muslim citizens live in harmony with the equal opportunities provided to them by Greece and the European Union. As I said, the definition of the minority as a religious minority is clearly defined in the Treaty of Lausanne. The peace of the Greek state for the Muslim minority in Thrace is only possible through the implementation of equality before the law. At the same time, some special measures are taken for the Muslims in our country. We consider the active participation of the Muslim minority in Greek political and cultural life as a success. It would be great if the Greek minority in Türkiye, which is constantly decreasing, could experience the same situation."

Halit Habip Oğlu, President of the Federation of Western Thrace Turks in Europe (ABTTF), said: "It is pleasing and promising for the future of the relations between the two countries that the leaders of our motherland and our country have declared that they want to continue to stay at the dialogue table despite differences of opinion and disagreements on some fundamental issues. However, the Prime Minister of our country unfortunately once again denied the existence and identity of our community in Ankara, as he did in the meeting held in Athens last December. Prime Minister Mitsotakis, who mentioned the 'Greek minority' in our homeland and emphasised ethnic identity in his speech, ignored our Turkish identity by using the expression 'Muslim minority' in Thrace when it comes to us. However, as our Prime Minister himself knows very well, the Treaty of Lausanne includes only and only the expression 'non-Muslim minorities'. We would like to remind our Prime Minister of this fact once again. Our Prime Minister claims that our community actively participates in Greek political and cultural life with equal opportunities provided by our country and the European Union, but the reality is the opposite. The educational and religious autonomy of our community, guaranteed by the Treaty of Lausanne, is today largely usurped. Our country, which has not implemented the judgements of the European Court of Human Rights against our three associations for 16 years despite all the warnings of the Council of Europe, continues to disregard international law and the principle of the rule of law. As our Prime Minister pointed out, we, as the Turkish community in Western Thrace, are the bridge of friendship and peace between our country and our homeland and we believe that our problems will be solved with dialogue and goodwill if the government shows the will. At this point, we invite our Prime Minister as the head of the government to take responsibility urgently."