Turkish Vice President Oktay received the members of the Turkish Minority Advisory Board
Turkish Vice President Fuat Oktay received the members of the Western Thrace Turkish Minority Advisory Board at the Presidential Complex in Ankara.
Turkish Vice President Fuat Oktay stated that he is extremely happy to be together with the Turks of Western Thrace in a geography where all rights are blatantly violated despite the agreements and the rights granted.
At the meeting at the Turkish Presidential Complex, Oktay stated that he was very honored to host the members of the board and said that they were very close with the Thrace Turks both geographically and emotionally.
Noting that despite this closeness, artificial barriers have been put up in these geographies where we have lived together for centuries, Oktay said, "Despite the agreements, despite the rights given, despite the promises, those rights, those promises, the texts in those agreements were not implemented, they were denied before the eyes of the whole world, and all rights were almost blatantly denied. I was extremely happy to be together with our brothers and to have the opportunity to have a conversation in a geography where the world is being trampled on and the world tolerates this." said.
"No one can reduce our unity and solidarity"
Emphasizing that on behalf of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and the Turkish nation, they pay attention to the problems of Western Thrace Turks, Oktay continued as follows:
"We are with you, we are one and together, this unity and solidarity will never be reduced by anyone, on the contrary, it will continue to increase no matter what pressure is applied, and that our contribution to you and our support will continue until the end.
We would like to express this to the world from here as well. We, as the Turkish nation, we do not come under threat. We do not bow to oppression. And we do not thank anyone. That is, we have only one life, if necessary, we will give that life, but we will also take what is rightfully ours. That is, to take what is rightfully ours. We don't beg anything from anyone for it. We take that right away."
Turkish Vice-President Oktay conveyed President Erdogan's greetings to the members of the Western Thrace Turkish Minority Advisory Board.
"Greece accelerated its assimilation policies"
The Mufti of Komotini and Chairman of the Advisory Board İbrahim Şerif thanked President Erdoğan and Vice President Oktay for their interest and hospitality, and said that despite being seen as the cradle of democracy, Greece has accelerated its assimilation policies against the Turks of Western Thrace.
Emphasizing that they wanted to take away the autonomy in the religious field from the Turks of Western Thrace, Şerif said that the mufti offices were wanted to become the Greek official authorities, and that the content and language of the sermons in the mosques were interfered with.
Şerif stated that the number of Turkish schools is decreasing day by day, the children of Turkish families are being pressured by the Greek authorities to send them to Greek schools. Systematic pressures continue in the financial, economic and legal fields.
In addition to Şerif, the Mufti of Xanthi Mustafa Trampa, Chairman of the Friendship Equality Peace Party (DEB) Çiğdem Asafoğlu and other board members took part in the meeting.
