Ozan Ahmetoğlu: “This is unlawful and a violation of the Lausanne Treaty”
Ozan Ahmetoğlu, President of the School Committee (Encümen Heyeti) of the İskeçe Minority Middle and High School, stated in an interview with TRT Haber that serious restrictions have been imposed on School Committees in minority schools across Western Thrace.
Ahmetoğlu said that the powers of the School Committees at both the İskeçe Minority Middle and High School and the Celal Bayar Minority Middle and High School in Komotini have been significantly curtailed. “The rooms belonging to the School Committees have been emptied, and entry to the schools—where our committees serve as administrators—has been prohibited or obstructed,” he said.
Emphasizing that these practices violate international agreements, Ahmetoğlu continued:
“What we are facing here is an unlawful practice and a violation of the Lausanne Treaty. Unfortunately, the authorities are not acting in accordance with the international agreements and relevant legislation that define the status of Western Thrace Turkish minority schools. The requirements of these agreements are not being implemented, and efforts are being made to eliminate the special status and autonomy of minority schools.”
Ahmetoğlu called on the authorities to resolve the ongoing issues and restore the rights of the School Committees.
