AK Party Deputy Chair for Foreign Affairs Burak Sarman visits Western Thrace for Minority Engagement
In a series of diplomatic and community outreach activities, AK Party Deputy Chair for Foreign Affairs Burak Sarman conducted significant meetings with Turkish minority leaders during a visit to Western Thrace. The visit included a series of engagements in Komotini (Gümülcine) and Xanthi (İskeçe), aimed at strengthening ties and understanding the needs of the local Turkish minority population.
Sarman and his delegation met with prominent figures including Mustafa Trampa, Mufti of Xanthi and President of the Western Thrace Turkish Minority Advisory Board (WTTMAB), and İbrahim Şerif, Mufti of Komotini. The delegation also held discussions with heads and representatives of other key minority institutions in the region.
Following the meetings, Sarman shared a statement on social media:
"Appointed by AK Party Vice Chair Mr. Zafer Sırakaya, we met with representatives of the Western Thrace Turkish Minority Advisory Board during our visit to Greece. We discussed their ongoing efforts and their expectations from our Foreign Affairs Department. The voluntary dedication and faith shown by our kin in keeping cultural and national ties alive inspire and motivate us. On behalf of President and Party Leader Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and Vice Chair Zafer Sırakaya, we express our heartfelt gratitude to them.”
Sarman also commented on his meetings with the Muftis:
“We evaluated the religious services provided to Western Thrace Turks during our meetings with elected Muftis Trampa Mustafa and İbrahim Şerif. We thank both of them for their kind hospitality.”
The delegation’s itinerary included a visit to the headquarters of the Friendship Equality Peace (FEP/DEB) Party in Komotini, where they met with Party Chair Çiğdem Asafoğlu and executive members. The visit concluded with a symbolic tribute at the grave of Dr. Sadık Ahmet, the founder of the FEP Party and a revered spiritual leader of the Western Thrace Turkish community.
Reflecting on the visit, Sarman stated:
“We visited the FEP Party, which has defended the rights of the Western Thrace Turkish Minority since its founding in 1991, to learn more about their political engagement. In the spirit of the phrase ‘Those who forget the past cannot build the future,’ we paid our respects at the grave of the party’s founder and the spiritual leader of the Western Thrace Turks, the late Dr. Sadık Ahmet. We extend our gratitude to Party Chairwoman Çiğdem Asafoğlu and the esteemed Executive Board members for their hospitality.”
