Türkiye's statement on Western Thrace Turks at the UN causes discomfort in Greece

Türkiye's recent intervention at the United Nations (UN) regarding the rights and issues of the Turkish minority in Western Thrace has triggered an immediate response from Greek officials.

Diplomatic Tension at the UN
On February 26, 2025, during the 58th regular session of the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva, Switzerland, Greek Deputy Foreign Minister Giorgos Kotsiras responded to Turkish Deputy Foreign Minister and EU President Ambassador Mehmet Kemal Bozay.

Kotsiras asserted that Greece fully respects the rights of the Muslim minority in Western Thrace in accordance with the Treaty of Lausanne and that they benefit from full rights as both Greek and EU citizens.
His response came after Bozay’s statement, in which Turkey urged the UN Human Rights Council to ensure that Greece respects the ethnic identity and fundamental rights of Turkish communities in Western Thrace and the Dodecanese Islands.

Reaction from the European Federation of Western Thrace Turks (ABTTF)
ABTTF President Halit Habip Oğlu criticized the Greek government’s stance, stating:

“Once again, our homeland’s effort to highlight our community’s struggles and rights violations at the UN has caused unease in our country. Contrary to Kotsiras’ claims, our community’s educational and religious autonomy, guaranteed under the Treaty of Lausanne, has been gradually eroded through unilateral laws and policies.

Our autonomous primary schools are being shut down one by one under the pretext of low student numbers, and our community’s elected muftis are not recognized. Greece has also refused to implement three European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) rulings on our associations for 17 years, systematically violating our right to freedom of association and the rule of law.

Given these realities, we call on our country’s authorities to abandon misleading statements to the international community and to engage in a good-faith dialogue with our community to resolve these longstanding issues.”

Key Takeaways

• Türkiye raised concerns about human rights violations against Western Thrace Turks at the UN.
• Greece denied allegations, insisting that the minority enjoys full protection under the Treaty of Lausanne.
• The ABTTF accused Greece of eroding minority rights through systematic policies and ignoring ECHR rulings.
• This exchange highlights the ongoing diplomatic and human rights dispute over the status of the Turkish minority in Greece, a topic that remains sensitive in Greek-Turkish relations.