Habipoğlu meets with Frank Schwabe, President of the German National Delegation to PACE

Federation of Western Thrace Turks in Europe (ABTTF) President Halit Habipoğlu had a meeting with Frank Schwabe, President of the German National Delegation to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) and Member of the German Bundestag, on Thursday, 4 April. The meeting was held at Schwabe's constituency office in Recklinghausen, Germany.

Federation of Western Thrace Turks in Europe (ABTTF) President Halit Habipoğlu had a meeting with Frank Schwabe, President of the German National Delegation to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) and Member of the German Bundestag, on Thursday, 4 April. The meeting was held at Schwabe's constituency office in Recklinghausen, Germany.

During the meeting, current problems of the Turkish community in Western Thrace, especially freedom of association, were discussed. Habipoğlu emphasised that Greece denies the existence of the Turkish community in the country and has not implemented the judgements of the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) against the Turkish Union of Xanthi, the Cultural Association of Turkish Women of Rhodope Province and the Evros Province Minority Youth Association for 16 years despite all the warnings of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe.

Habipoğlu stated that organisations representing the Turkish community in Western Thrace, in particular ABTTF, and MPs and mayors belonging to the Turkish community were targeted and stigmatised in the media and that the Turkish community in Western Thrace was portrayed as a "threat" and "danger" in politics and mainstream media in its own country.

Habipoğlu stated that the rule of law has been systematically violated in Greece in the recent period and according to a survey, only 3 out of every 10 people in the country have confidence in justice and judges. Habipoğlu pointed out that the Council of Europe and the European Union (EU), of which Greece is a member, are closely following this negative situation and reminded that the European Parliament adopted a resolution last February on the serious developments threatening the rule of law in Greece and called on the EU Commission to take action. Habipoğlu stated that, as stated in the resolution, democracy, rule of law and fundamental rights in Greece have recently been under serious threat.