Western Thrace Turks react to "Greek Minority School" label for Turkish School
Fuat Perende, President of the Parents’ Association of Komotini’s Celal Bayar Minority Middle and High School, strongly opposed the school being referred to as a "Greek Minority Middle and High School" by the newly appointed Greek deputy principal in a statement to the local press.
Perende highlighted that the autonomy of minority education is guaranteed under the Treaty of Lausanne and expressed concerns that instead of decreasing, problems in minority education have been increasing. "If the term 'Greek Minority School' was not intentional, it should be corrected immediately," he stated, urging caution and responsibility in handling educational matters.
Similarly, Ozan Ahmetoğlu, President of the Parents’ Association of Xanthi Minority Middle and High School, hoped that the term was just a slip of the tongue and not a deliberate move. He emphasized that the term contradicts both international agreements and the will of the Western Thrace Turkish community.
Ahmetoğlu also criticized the ongoing infrastructure issues at Xanthi’s minority school, pointing out that despite efforts, no positive response had been received from the relevant authorities regarding a new school building. He urged for concrete action to address the long-standing educational needs of the community.
This controversy was triggered after the deputy principal used the term during a charity event on November 22, sparking strong reactions from community leaders.
