Greece only member of the EU to deny the indigenous national minority
Federation of Western Thrace Turks in Europe (ABTTF) President Halit Habipoğlu stated that Greece is the only member state of the European Union (EU) that denies the existence of indigenous national minorities.
Habipoğlu delivered a speech at the European Parliament (EP) Intergroup Meeting on Traditional Minorities, National Communities and Languages in Strasbourg.
Federation of Western Thrace Turks in Europe (ABTTF) President Halit Habipoğlu stated that Greece is the only member state of the European Union (EU) that denies the existence of indigenous national minorities.
Habipoğlu delivered a speech at the European Parliament (EP) Intergroup Meeting on Traditional Minorities, National Communities and Languages in Strasbourg.
Pointing out that "Greece is the only member of the EU that does not recognise the existence of indigenous national minorities", Habipoğlu stated that although kindergarten education is compulsory in the country, bilingual kindergartens are not allowed to be established in the Western Thrace region where the Turkish community lives.
Stating that there are serious problems in bilingual primary schools belonging to the Turkish community, Habipoğlu said: "The number of Turkish primary schools in Western Thrace has decreased from 226 to 90 over the years, from 9 to 0 in Rhodes and from 3 to 0 in Kos. The figures reveal the whole reality with its nakedness."
Habipoğlu noted that their demand for the establishment of a bilingual Turkish minority kindergarten in Western Thrace was left unanswered by the Greek authorities and that the number of Turkish secondary schools was insufficient according to the population ratio in the region.
At the meeting, Prof. Dr. Mustafa Kaymakçı, President of Rhodes Kos and Dodecanese Turks Culture and Solidarity Association, made a presentation on the educational problems of the Turkish community in Rhodes and Kos.
