Issues of the Turkish Minority raised at OSCE Human Dimension meeting
The Western Thrace Minority University Graduates Association (WTMUGA) participated in the third Supplementary Human Dimension Meeting of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), held on 2–3 June in Vienna. The meeting was hosted by the Finnish OSCE Chairmanship and the Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR). WTMUGA was represented by Human Rights Expert Kerem Abdurahimoğlu.
The event, titled “Inclusion as a Way to Promote Tolerance and Combat Discrimination,” began on Monday, 2 June, with an opening session, followed by the first session, “Respect: Addressing Intolerance and Discrimination in a Comprehensive and Inclusive Manner in the OSCE Region.”
During this session, WTMUGA addressed the issues faced by the Turkish Minority of Western Thrace, particularly in the areas of freedom of association and education. The delegation highlighted the 17-year non-implementation of European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) rulings in cases involving associations such as the Xanthi Turkish Union and other Turkish minority organizations, as well as the closure of minority schools.
The second session, held on Tuesday, 3 June, was titled “Respond: Promoting Inclusion through Interfaith, Religious, and Intercultural Dialogue and Cooperation.” WTMUGA once again took the floor to draw attention to issues concerning religious freedoms and marginalization. They noted that members of the Turkish Minority are not allowed to elect their own Muftis, and that the Greek authorities fail to engage with the minority’s legitimate representatives despite their calls for dialogue.
In the third session, “Prepare: Towards More Inclusive Policy-Making Approaches to Promote Tolerance, Combat Discrimination and Advance Equality,” WTMUGA criticized the Greek government's interventions in minority education, which have led to a decline in the quality of education. The delegation also pointed out that Greece does not permit the establishment of bilingual Turkish-Greek kindergartens, and that the minority is excluded from decision-making processes concerning its affairs. They further noted that despite receiving support from more than 80% of the Turkish Minority, the Friendship, Equality, Peace (FEP) Party and independent minority candidates are unable to enter the Greek Parliament due to the 3% national electoral threshold.
In response to the statements made by WTMUGA in all three sessions, the Greek delegation reiterated its official stance, asserting that the minority in Western Thrace is a Muslim minority and that all its members enjoy full rights as equal Greek citizens.
The meeting concluded with a final session in which participants shared their assessments and closing remarks.
