Religious ceremony at Soumela Monastery and the violated religious freedoms of the Western Thrace Turkish Community
The ceremony, set to commemorate the "Assumption of Mary" — a sacred day in Christianity — will once again be led by the Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew. This event is seen as a demonstration of Türkiye's respect for diverse religions and cultures within its borders, even in regions where the Greek Orthodox community is no longer present.
However, Halit Habip Oğlu, President of the Federation of Western Thrace Turks in Europe (ABTTF), expressed his frustration over the disparity in religious freedoms between the Greek Orthodox minority in Türkiye and the Turkish Muslim minority in Greece. He highlighted the contrast between Türkiye’s accommodating stance and Greece’s continued disregard for the rights of its Turkish Muslim community.
"While our homeland, Türkiye, allows such ceremonies at the Sümela Monastery, showing respect for different religions, our country, Greece, continues to violate the religious freedoms and rights of our community through various laws and practices," Habip Oğlu stated. He criticized Greece for refusing to recognize the muftis elected by the Turkish community, converting the offices of muftis into regular public institutions, and appointing administrative boards to manage community foundations, a practice that has been in place since 1967.
Habip Oğlu expressed disappointment that the recent positive developments in bilateral relations between Greece and Türkiye have not translated into tangible improvements for the Turkish community in Western Thrace. "We had hoped that the positive agenda in the relations between our country and our homeland would also have practical benefits for our community, rather than just remaining in the words and statements of our leaders. Unfortunately, our country not only fails to emulate Türkiye’s tolerant practices towards its Greek Orthodox minority but also continues to erode our religious autonomy and violate international agreements it is a party to," he added.
The remarks underscore ongoing concerns about the state of religious freedoms for the Turkish Muslim minority in Greece, drawing attention to the need for greater equality and respect for their religious rights.
