Advisory Board condemns closure of 9 Turkish minority schools
The statement of the Advisory Board on the decision to close the minority schools is as follows
"Our country Greece, in the 2023-2024 academic year in the province of Rodopi, has decided to close the following primary schools: Yahyabeyli (Amaranta), Hacımustafaköy (Amfia), Değirmendere (Darmeni), Gerdeme (Kato Kardamos), Ortakışla (Porpi), Sasallı (Salpi), Baraklı (Stilarion). The decision was taken to close nine minority primary schools in total, including the minority primary schools in the villages of Salıncak (Eora) and Mizanlı (Palio Zigo) in Xanthi province.
The authorities, who assert the Lausanne Peace Treaty on the rights of belonging and identity of the minority, continue to ignore the provisions of the treaty in which the minority education is determined autonomously with the same sensitivity. So much so that this ignoring process has been supported by various economic and student shortage excuses and with the latest decision, the number of minority schools in Western Thrace has been reduced to ninety.
On 14 May 1991, the validity of international law and treaties is interpreted and responded only to the detriment of the minority in our country, which refers to the law of "Equality before the Law" at every opportunity, but has not gone beyond this initiative in the past years, and where we are experiencing regression instead of progress in the development and improvement of minority rights.
We hope that the politicians in our country, who expressed their love and support for our minority on both national and international platforms during the last election process, will stand behind their feelings and statements, fulfil what is necessary and reverse this decision as soon as possible.
As the minority, we reiterate our demand for dialogue with the rulers of our country. We state that we are ready for all the necessary work to improve the minority education in every sense and we strongly condemn these and similar outdated decisions taken in the field of education."
