Bakoyanni shows a hidden stick to the Western Thrace Turks

News analysis: Bilal Budur

Greek New Democracy Party officials are visiting the Turkish villages of Western Thrace ahead of the second round of elections scheduled for June 25th. Following the party's failure to receive the expected vote share in the Turkish minority villages during the first round, New Democracy Party officials have made a significant move in Western Thrace, preferring to use veiled threats rather than winning over the voters.

Dora Bakoyanni, a senior member of the New Democracy Party and the sister of party leader Mitsotakis, visited the village of Hacioren in the Rhodope region as part of her Western Thrace tour. During her speech at the village's coffee house, Bakoyanni openly threatened the Western Thrace Turks. Asserting that the New Democracy Party would come to power in the new era, Bakoyanni explicitly threatened her compatriots, saying, "If you don't support us, things will become much more difficult."

Bakoyanni's statements caused a significant uproar in the Turkish Minority public opinion. Sibel Mustafaoglu, a candidate for the PASOK party, expressed her reaction to Bakoyanni's threatening remarks on social media.

Sibel Mustafaoglu made the following statement:

"I watched the videos of Dora Bakoyanni's visit to the Rhodope region. It seems Bakoyanni must have missed other times as she brandished a hidden stick with her harsh rhetoric. The minority has suffered greatly from dark periods, and although they were relieved to be free from them, they have never forgotten. What Dora sister talks about, claiming to have done this and that, simply never happened. I have traveled through our villages extensively. There is no sign of development. Are you going to open job opportunities that you have never opened before, only in exchange for votes? What will happen if we don't vote for you? IT WON'T HAPPEN, DORA SISTER, IT WON'T HAPPEN."

In Hacioren village, Dora Bakoyanni made the following threatening speech addressing her compatriots in front of the cameras:

"I admit that I am truly disappointed. You have put me in a difficult situation regarding the struggles I have fought for various minority issues in Athens. Despite this, you voted for SYRIZA. Now I am asking for your support. If you don't support me, I won't be able to support you tomorrow either. Not everyone in Athens loves the minority as I do. Now, the New Democracy Party will come to power. You have elected your MPs, now it's time to choose the party, and that is us. I brought the New Democracy Party to 41% in Chania. Throughout history, even when my father was Prime Minister, they never voted for the New Democracy Party, but you are not voting for the New Democracy Party now. What can I do? That's why I came here, to convey this message. We need your support. If you don't support us, things will be very difficult."

New Democracy Party Struggles to Establish a Proper Dialogue with Western Thrace Turks

Despite New Democracy Party's quest for single-party rule, they have been unable to reconcile with the Western Thrace Turks. Ahead of the second round of elections on June 25th, ND leader Mitsotakis targeted Özgür Ferhat, the SYRIZA candidate who received a high number of votes in Rodopi, the only province where ND failed to secure the top position. Mitsotakis implied that the Turkish Minority supported Ferhat due to the intervention of the Consulate General of the Republic of Türkiye in Komotini, which sparked strong backlash from the Turkish Minority community.

While Mitsotakis' remarks remain puzzling, his sister Dora Bakoyanni, who visited Western Thrace this time, openly threatened the Western Thrace Turks, stating that things would become very difficult if they did not vote for her. Expressing her great disappointment, Bakoyanni used undemocratic language, saying, "If you don't support me, I won't be able to support you tomorrow."

Despite being in power, ND officials have failed to establish a respectful dialogue with the minority, and instead, they belittle, threaten, and disregard democratic elections. Western Thrace Turks watch the actions of ND officials with astonishment.

It appears that the ND has not been able to free itself from a dictatorial approach in minority politics. While ND-affiliated politicians in local administrations in Western Thrace prefer a more constructive approach to politics, ND officials based in Athens attempt to control the Western Thrace Turks through methods that would not even find a place in history's trash heap. It seems that the ND's officials in Athens have much to learn from their counterparts in Western Thrace about local politics.

Finally, we need to say the following to Mr Bakoyanni. You cannot get votes by showing the Turks of Western Thrace a stick under the lamp. However, we do not think that you are saying these things to get votes. You know very well that you will not be able to change the result here much after this time, especially with this method.

In our opinion, you have no intention to do anything for the Turkish Minority of Western Thrace in the coming period of government. You have come to declare this in this visit. You have already announced your excuse. 'If you do not vote for us, we will not be able to support you. Things will be more difficult."

Let alone doing something positive during your period in power, you have already announced that things will be worse and you have cut the bill to us again. Unfortunately, this is your understanding of New Democracy.

Come on, please mislead us during your term in power. We are willing to be disgraced for the interest of Western Thrace Turks.