Habipoğlu: 'Existing with our Turkish identity has not been and will not be easy!'

Halit Habipoğlu, President of the Federation of Western Thrace Turks in Europe (ABTTF), evaluated his working visit to Western Thrace on 16-17 July and the meetings he had with the President of the Advisory Board of the Turkish Minority of Western Thrace (BTTADK) and its member institutions and organizations during the visit.

Habipoğlu pointed out that after the success of the Friendship, Equality and Peace (FEP) Party in the European Parliament (EP) elections, verbal attacks against the Turkish community in Western Thrace and especially against the FEP Party increased and said: "How come the FEP Party, which says 'I am the party of Turks' and threatens the future of the country, was able to participate in the elections! I said that I would not be surprised if, after the closure of the Western Thrace Fenerbahce Culture and Sports Association, an attempt was made to close down the FEP Party. As a matter of fact, it happened. On the other hand, our MPs are being targeted because of the parliamentary questions they submit to the parliament on issues concerning our community." Habipoğlu stated that the real loser is Greece because democratic principles and tolerance as a requirement of democracy are ignored and added: "For this reason, as ABTTTF, we were in our region on 16-17 July and visited all our institutions, including İbrahim Şerif, President of BTTADK and Mufti of Komotini, and told them that we are with them and showed our support.

While the stigmatization and threats against the institutions and representatives of our society in our region continued, we reinforced our unity and solidarity." Habipoğlu said, "What happened in our region days before the death anniversary of our late leader, our brother Dr. Sadık Ahmet showed once again that we must continue his just struggle today without giving up. It has never been and will never be easy to exist in our country with our Turkish identity and to demand our rights. But our cause will continue with all of us, with the efforts of all of us. As our brother shed light, we, the young generation after us, will continue to fight for our rights and freedoms without fear, without giving up, with determination. On this occasion, I commemorate our leader, my brother Dr. Sadık Ahmet with respect and reverence. May his soul rest in peace and his place be in heaven!"