ABTTF: 'Will our rights be restored on the 50th anniversary of the return to democracy?
"As we have always said, our country returned to democracy in 1974, but democracy did not come to our region. Mr Mitsotakis says 'We are Europe, we deserve to be Europeans at all levels'. If that is so, are Western Thrace Turks not a part of this country? Are we not Europeans?"
ABTTF President Halit Habipoğlu made the following statement on the subject "The messages of the President and the Prime Minister of our country emphasise the 50th anniversary of our country's return to democracy in 1974. Happily, our country has a more mature, more rooted democracy in 2024... What about us, the Turks of Western Thrace? As we have always said, our country returned to democracy in 1974, but democracy did not come to our region; for us, not a return to democracy, but the results of a more autocratic rule were experienced in the years following 1974. We were denied to be Turkish, our associations with the word Turkish in their names were closed down. Now, when it comes to Western Thrace and the Turkish community in Western Thrace, we cannot talk about a democratic administration. Because in three cases known as Bekir Usta Case Group, our country has not implemented the ECtHR judgements for about 16 years. Mr Mitsotakis says 'We are Europe, we deserve to be Europeans at all levels'. If that is so, are Western Thrace Turks not a part of this country, are we not Europeans? Do we not deserve a life in accordance with the norms and values of Europe with our collective rights guaranteed by treaties?"
