Please ensure Javascript is enabled for purposes of website accessibility
Turkey's Erdogan Rails at Greece Over Muslim Minority Rights
gvw_ap_news
By Associated Press
Published 3 years ago on
July 25, 2022

Share

 

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Sunday criticized Greece for allegedly violating a settlement that has governed relations between the rivals for nearly a century.

In a statement released on the 99th anniversary of the Lausanne Treaty, Erdogan accused Athens of undermining the rights of the Muslim minority in Greece’s Thrace region. Muslims in Thrace make up about 32% of the province’s population and consist of ethnic Turks, Roma and Bulgarian-speaking Pomaks.

“The conditions registered in the treaty, especially the rights of the Turkish minority, have been ignored or deliberately eroded,” the nationalist leader said. “It is not possible for our country to accept this situation, which is incompatible with good neighborly relations and loyalty to the treaty.”

The 1923 treaty was signed by the new Republic of Turkey to settle disputes with the Allies, including Greece, following World War I and the Turkish War of Independence.

It outlined the rights of the remaining Muslim minority in Greece and Christians in Turkey after a bitter conflict between the countries, which was followed by a population exchange. It also set out conditions for Greek rule of the Aegean islands that lie off Turkey’s coast.

Ankara has recently complained that Greece has violated the treaty by militarizing the islands. Athens says it is acting according to international law and is defending its territory in the face of constant Turkish hostility.

On Friday, the Turkish Foreign Ministry condemned the closure of four Muslim minority schools in Thrace, saying it demonstrated “discriminatory and oppressive policies” by the Greek government.

The Greek Foreign Ministry rejected the “unsubstantiated” allegations, saying the schools were suspended because student numbers fell below minimum requirements.

NATO members Greece and Turkey have been at loggerheads for decades over a series of issues, including disputes over undersea exploration rights in the eastern Mediterranean and the sovereignty of uninhabited Aegean islets. The two neighbors have come to the brink of war three times in the past half century.

Erdogan last month broke off high-level talks with Athens.

RELATED TOPICS:

DON'T MISS

What Are Fresno Real Estate Experts Predicting for 2025 and Beyond?

UP NEXT

Britain and Allies Sanction Israeli Far-Right Ministers for ‘Inciting Violence’

Fresno Unified Spends Thousands to Reprint Diplomas With Misty Her’s New Title

1 hour ago

Another Dozen Migrants Are Transferred to Guantánamo

1 hour ago

Fresno Councilmember Warns of Possible ICE Raid at Popular Outdoor Market

Fresno City Councilmember Miguel Arias is warning that an immigration raid could take place at a popular gathering spot this weekend. “We ha...

20 minutes ago

20 minutes ago

Fresno Councilmember Warns of Possible ICE Raid at Popular Outdoor Market

U.S. Marines stand with their packs and weapons, as protests against federal immigration sweeps continue, in greater Los Angeles, California, U.S., June 9, 2025, in this screen grab taken from a handout video. (DVIDS/Handout via REUTERS/File Photo)
25 minutes ago

Americans Split on Trump’s Use of Military in Immigration Protests, Reuters/Ipsos Poll Finds

Mark Kismet, 50, who is considered at-risk went missing on Friday, June 6, 2025, in Clovis near Harlan Ranch is still missing according to the Clovis Police Department on Thursday, June 12, 2025. (Clovis PD)
1 hour ago

Clovis Police Still Searching for Missing At-Risk Man

1 hour ago

Fresno Unified Spends Thousands to Reprint Diplomas With Misty Her’s New Title

1 hour ago

Another Dozen Migrants Are Transferred to Guantánamo

The crest of the United States Department of Justice (DOJ) is seen at their headquarters in Washington, D.C., U.S., May 10, 2021. REUTERS/Andrew Kelly/File photo
1 hour ago

Former California Corrections Sergeant Indicted on Child Porn Charges

The S-200 missile system is displayed during the Iranian defence week, in a street in Tehran, Iran, September 24, 2024. Majid Asgaripour/WANA (West Asia News Agency) via REUTERS/File Photo
2 hours ago

Israel Could Strike Iran as Soon as Sunday, WSJ Reports

President Donald Trump walks away after speaking to the media upon arrival at Joint Base Andrews following a visit to North Carolina, in Maryland, U.S., June 10, 2025. (Reuters File Photo)
2 hours ago

Trump Promises Immigration Order Soon on Farm and Leisure Workers

Help continue the work that gets you the news that matters most.

Search

Send this to a friend