Minority in Western Thrace should be recognised as Turkish according to SYRIZA Europe expert

Sotiris Valden, an academic and expert of SYRIZA's European Policy Committee, stated that the recognition of the minority in Western Thrace as Turkish is a necessity of democracy.

In his article published on the website "tvxs.gr", Valden stated that "Recognition of the minority in Western Thrace as Turkish is an international responsibility and a necessity of democracy" and pointed out that this would also contribute to the development of relations with Türkiye.

While defining Greece's policy towards the minority, Sotiris Valden pointed out that "the minority should have the right to define its own ethnic identity, Turks living in the region should be employed as police officers and judges like Greeks, Turkish signs should be allowed in shops and streets, the minority should have the right to elect its own mufti, the quality of Turkish education in schools should be improved and policies should be developed aiming to bring the standard of living of the minority closer to the national average".

Stating that the existence of Turks in Thrace is known by everyone, but it is not spoken because it is against Greece's national interests, Valden reminded that the minority in Thrace was defined as Turkish by the Greek state until the mid-1950s.

"EVERY MINORITY HAS THE RIGHT TO DEFINE ITS OWN ETHNIC IDENTITY"
Underlining that the right to self-identification is at the centre of international and European policies on minorities, Valden said:

"Every citizen and every minority has the right to define its own ethnic identity. If I identify myself as Turkish or Macedonian, I am Turkish or Macedonian and the state must recognise this as an individual or minority."