Türkiye urges Greece to recognize elected minority muftis

The Turkish Foreign Ministry sharply criticised Greece’s policies toward the Turkish minority in Western Thrace on Wednesday, stating that their rights under the Lausanne Peace Treaty are being systematically ignored. In a written statement, the ministry said Greece “persistently disregards the rights and freedoms” of the minority by failing to recognise their democratically elected religious leaders, the muftis.

Election Process Under Scrutiny

Ankara expressed particular concern over recent developments in Didymoteicho, where a mufti appointment was carried out “under the guise of elections” without consulting minority representatives. The ministry warned that similar practices are now being attempted in Rodopi and Xanthi. “We cannot accept these practices,” the statement declared, urging the international community to take note that Greece does not recognise the elected religious leaders of an official minority on its own territory.

Call for Change and Bilateral Relations

The ministry said ending what it termed “repressive practices” would positively affect bilateral relations and called on Greek authorities to “turn back from the wrong path.” Ankara reiterated that it will continue to closely monitor the protection of the minority’s rights in line with its international obligations. The statement underscores the persistent friction between the two NATO allies over the treatment of the Turkish minority in Western Thrace, a decades‑old issue rooted in differing interpretations of the Lausanne Treaty.