Turkish parliament speaker urges Greece to end mufti appointments in Western Thrace
Turkish Parliament Speaker Numan Kurtulmuş has called on Greece to recognise muftis elected by the Western Thrace Turkish minority and comply with its obligations under the 1923 Treaty of Lausanne, criticising the appointment of religious leaders in Gümülcine (Komotini) and İskeçe (Xanthi).
In a statement shared on social media on 25 October, Kurtulmuş said the Greek authorities’ approach interfered with the religious freedom of Western Thrace’s Muslim Turkish minority and its right to practise its faith freely.
He urged Greece to respect the minority’s will, recognise its elected muftis and immediately abandon what he described as unacceptable practices.
Kurtulmuş stresses the right to choose religious leaders
Kurtulmuş argued that allowing the state to determine a community’s religious leaders undermines fundamental principles of law and democracy.
“The right of the Muslim Turkish minority in Western Thrace to elect its own religious representatives is not open to debate,” he said, adding that interference with this right should concern everyone who supports human rights and religious freedom.
He also criticised what he characterised as a longstanding Greek government policy that denies the Turkish minority’s identity, describing the latest appointments as another example of that approach.
Treaty of Lausanne and minority rights
Referring to the 1923 Treaty of Lausanne, Kurtulmuş called on Greece to fulfil its obligations, respect the wishes of the Western Thrace Turkish minority and recognise the muftis elected by the community.
He maintained that the legitimacy of community-elected muftis could not be removed through imposed appointments.
“Türkiye will never leave our compatriots alone in their struggle to protect their identity, beliefs and rights,” Kurtulmuş said.
Mufti appointments remain a longstanding dispute
The selection of muftis in Western Thrace has long been disputed between the Greek authorities and representatives of the Turkish minority. The disagreement centres on the state’s appointment procedures and the minority’s demand to elect its own religious leaders.
Kurtulmuş’s remarks follow similar criticism from Turkish officials over appointments to the mufti offices in Gümülcine and İskeçe, keeping religious representation and minority rights at the centre of the debate between Türkiye and Greece.
