Western Thrace minority council condemns mufti appointments, urges dialogue with Greece
The Consultative Council of the Turkish Minority of Western Thrace has condemned the recent appointments to the mufti offices in Gümülcine and İskeçe, calling on the Greek government to resolve the long-running dispute through dialogue with the minority’s institutions and representatives.
In a statement published on October 23, 2026, the council said the appointments disregarded the minority’s wishes and its demand to choose its own religious leaders. It argued that the mufti issue, which it said had remained unresolved since 1985, was not merely an administrative matter but was directly linked to religious identity, community representation and the right to determine religious leadership.
COUNCIL SAYS MINORITY’S CHOICES HAVE BEEN IGNORED
The council said the Turkish Minority of Western Thrace recognises İbrahim Şerif as its mufti in Gümülcine and Mustafa Trampa as its mufti in İskeçe.
It criticised the state-appointed officials and argued that a selection committee established without consultation with the minority could not give legitimacy to the appointment process.
According to the council, continuing with state appointments instead of addressing the minority’s demands risks deepening the existing dispute rather than resolving it.
CALL FOR GENUINE CONSULTATION
The council identified what it described as the absence of genuine dialogue and consultation between the Greek state and the minority’s institutions and representatives as a major reason the dispute has persisted.
It said decisions on an issue directly affecting the minority should take its views and demands into account, warning that excluding the community from the process undermines trust between the state and the minority.
APPEAL FOR A LASTING SOLUTION
The council called on Greece to initiate a sincere dialogue process with the minority’s institutions and representatives and to pursue a lasting solution based on the community’s free will, human rights and international obligations.
“The way forward is not imposition, but dialogue, mutual respect and respect for the will of the Turkish Minority of Western Thrace,” the council said in its statement.
The statement represents the council’s position on the appointments. The Greek government’s response was not included in the report.
