Yannakidis for Muftis: SYRIZA against any election and interference by Türkiye

The day of the "election" process in the mosques of Xanthi was chosen by the former Deputy Minister and member of the K.E. of SYRIZA's Stathis Yannakidis to remind SYRIZA's positions on a major issue.

According to local news, after a week that preceded and was characterized by intense political confrontation, nationwide and locally, the former Member of Parliament points out the vertical disagreement of the official opposition in any parallel process while he does not fail to criticize the ND for their handling of the issue which, according to the SYRIZA, they gave arguments on the side of the Consulate.

At the same time, the leaks that took place on Wednesday from the party's headquarters state: "The positions of SYRIZA-PS against Türkiye's interventions in Thrace are clear. No SYRIZA MP or official will participate in the "Mufti election" procedures that it organizes."

The Yannakidis statement:

"We are against any intervention by Türkiye in the internal affairs of Thrace and any attempt to organize a parallel process for the election of a mufti.

But you do not stop such interventions or delegitimize them with an inadequate law without consultation.

We must do our part to win the hearts and minds of the minority, at least those who have not been manipulated by the Consulate.

The positions of SYRIZA-PS, on which there was significant convergence in the Committee, are clear: not direct election of the Mufti, as he is not only a religious leader, but also a public official exercising judicial duties.  In the Inter-Party Committee we proposed the establishment of a wider Council, whose composition must meet the standards of European legal culture, and ensure the broadest acceptance of the minority.

The government regulations, in terms of the Advisory Committee, largely reproduce the existing provisions, which were deemed insufficient by the Inter-Party Committee and by the ND.

The ND retreated from the convergences that had been reached in the inter-party committee for Thrace in 2021, where there was an agreement on the need for any relevant regulation to seek the widest possible acceptance of the minority.

On the contrary, the government chose to introduce these provisions suddenly and without any stage of consultation during the months that followed the submission of the conclusion of the Inter-Party Committee.

The common goal had to be provisions that ensure the exercise of the religious rights of the minority in the best way and at the same time prevent the instrumentalization of the issue by the Turkish consulate.”

As he clarifies, these are the positions that have been expressed clearly and in the most official tone by the competent Department Head of SYRIZA, Giorgos Katrougalos.