Greece could not digest the election of Mufti of Western Thrace Turkish Minority
The Greek Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which prides itself on being the cradle of civilization and the inventor of democracy at every opportunity, did not recognize Mustafa Trampa, the new Mufti of Xanthi elected by the Turkish Minority, and ignored his will.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs accused Türkiye of “reflecting false news about the Muslim Minority in Thrace” in order to discredit the Mufti election made by the Western Thrace Turkish Minority based on international law and agreements.
This attitude of Greece was evaluated as an effort to discredit democracy and free will within the Turkish Minority public opinion.
"The Turkish side is once again trying to distort the facts and give false news about the Muslim Minority in Thrace," the Foreign Ministry said in a statement.
He talks about which provision of the Treaty of Lausanne, which Türkiye systematically violated, elected the muftis of the Muslim Minority in Thrace. We expect the Turkish side to direct us to the relevant article.
It is at least a contradiction that Türkiye tries to establish a procedure in a third state for the election of religious leaders, which it does not implement in its own territory.
Referring to the new law on the mufti, which was recently approved by the parliament, the statement said, “As you know, the Greek Parliament recently passed a law on the modernization of muftis.
This law establishes a modern and comprehensive institutional framework for Muftis.
This arrangement is in full compliance with the Greek Constitution and the country's international obligations as defined by the Treaty of Lausanne, the European Convention on Human Rights, the jurisprudence of the European Court of Human Rights as well as the Islamic principles and rules.”
Stating that Greece is a country with the rule of law and European democracy, it was stated that it fully complies with its obligations arising from the Treaty of Lausanne against the Muslim Minority in Thrace.
In the last part of the statement, it was claimed that the Greek minority in Türkiye, Istanbul, Gökçeada and Bozcaada was on the verge of extinction and that the rights of the Greek minority were violated.
THE REACTION OF THE TURKISH MINORITY
The Greek Ministry of Foreign Affairs did not surprise the Turks of Western Thrace with this statement.
Since 1923, the Turkish Minority has been struggling with propaganda that sells the cruelty of the regime, which specializes in manipulation and distorting the facts, as a blessing to the world.
Despite all the pressures and difficulties, the Turkish Minority elected its Mufti, demonstrating its determination to continue this legal struggle.
WHAT DOES INTERNATIONAL LAW SAY?
According to international law, especially the 1913 Athens and 1923 Lausanne Treaties, the Western Thrace Turkish Minority has a special and autonomous status in the religious, social and cultural fields.
Every society and Minority is completely free in its own language, religion, education and organization in the country where it is located. It can establish and run its own religious and charitable institutions.
The state has no right to arbitrarily interfere with these institutions. Western Thrace Turks are shouting to the whole world that they will never accept these and similar injustices. The Mufti election in Xanthi is a clear example of this, which was done in a democratic way.i
