Article on the Western Thrace Turkish Community published in a German Newspaper in Romania

An article discussing the Western Thrace Turkish community and its issues was published on January 9, 2025, in the German minority newspaper Allgemeine Deutsche Zeitung für Rumänien (ADZ), based in Romania.
The piece, titled “Athens Refuses to Implement ECtHR Rulings”, authored by journalist Hatto Schmidt, criticizes Greece for ignoring the European Court of Human Rights' (ECtHR) rulings for decades, despite findings that affirm the rights of the Turkish minority in Western Thrace.
The article highlights Greece’s continued violations of organizational freedoms for the Turkish minority, as evidenced by the Bekir Usta and Others Case Group. It underscores the closure of associations bearing the term "Turkish" in their names, such as the Xanthi Turkish Union, the Turkish Women's Cultural Association of Rhodope, and the Evros Minority Youth Association.
It also details Greece's disregard for the Lausanne Treaty of 1923, which guarantees educational and religious autonomy for the Turkish minority. The absence of bilingual preschools in Western Thrace and the enforcement of state control over religious institutions are among the violations cited.
Halit Habip Oğlu, President of the Federation of Western Thrace Turks in Europe (ABTTF), stated, “Greece has no intention of implementing these rulings and is simply stalling for time.”
The article gained attention in Greece, sparking coverage in the Greek media. You can read the full text here:https://adz.news/artikel/artikel/athen-verweigert-umsetzung-von-egmr-urteilen