YTB President Turus: "Appointment Ignoring the Will of Our Compatriots Is Incompatible with Democracy and Law"

Strong support came from YTB regarding the statement issued by the Western Thrace Turkish Minority Advisory Board (BTTADK), which emphasized that the process was carried out with a "dictatorial approach without consulting the minority" following the mufti appointment by Greek authorities in Didymoteicho. In a written statement on the subject, YTB President Abdulhadi Turus once again emphasized that they stand by the elected muftis and legitimate representatives of the Minority in Western Thrace.

​In his statement, Turus invited Greece to comply with international law and democratic values, including the following remarks: "We follow with concern the coercive steps that violate the religious autonomy and the right to elect their own representatives of the Western Thrace Turkish Minority, which are guaranteed by the Treaty of Lausanne. The mufti appointment carried out by ignoring the will of our compatriots in Western Thrace is not only incompatible with the principle of the rule of law but also damages democratic values and the grounds for social peace. It is not possible for processes carried out through unilateral actions which find no resonance in the conscience of a society and are detached from religious and cultural sensitivities to gain legitimacy."

​Reminding that democracy requires ensuring minority rights, Turus concluded his message with these words: "Democracy is a governance approach where the rights and expectations of minorities are not ignored, but rather secured. The office of the Mufti must not be an administrative action of the state; it must be a natural manifestation of the spiritual world, freedom of belief, and free will of the Western Thrace Turkish Minority. As the Presidency for Turks Abroad and Related Communities, we once again resolutely emphasize that we stand against such practices that disregard law and democracy, and that we stand by the Western Thrace Turkish Minority's righteous demands based on international law and the muftis they have elected of their own free will."