ABTTF: Why were the Turkish students from Western Thrace received by the Minister of Defence?

ABTTF President Halit Habipoğlu criticised the reception of the Turkish students from Western Thrace visiting Athens by the Minister of Defence.

Turkish primary school students from the villages of Narlıköy, Bulatköy, Basırlıköy, Hemetli, Hacıören and Üntüren in Western Thrace went on an educational visit to Athens, where they were received by the Minister of Defence Nikos Dendias.

Habipoğlu asked: "Why were children of primary school age received by the Ministry of Defence and not by the Ministry of Education? Could this be a veiled message to the Turkish community?" Habipoğlu asked.

During their visit to the Ministry of Defence, the students were welcomed by Minister Dendias and the Chief of the General Staff Dimitris Hupis also attended the meeting. "Although I am from Corfu on the other side of Greece, I think I have visited Thrace (Western) 10 times.(...) You are the future, you are the new children from whom a much better tomorrow will be built. It is a great happiness for us that you are here today."

Halit Habip Oğlu, President of the Federation of Western Thrace Turks in Europe (ABTTF), said: "It is very nice that our children from Western Thrace organise an educational trip to the capital of our country and get to know their country. We find it positive that our children were accepted by the government officials. However, I would like to ask a question, why were the children of primary school age accepted by the Ministry of Defence and not by the Ministry of Education? Moreover, the Chief of General Staff also attended this reception. Inevitably, some questions come to mind, could this be a veiled message to the Turkish society?"