NEWS

Turkish FM slams Greece over minority in Thrace

Turkish FM slams Greece  over minority in Thrace

Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu denounced Greece Friday, claiming it doesn’t uphold the rights of the Muslim minority in Western Thrace and doesn’t allow its members to call themselves “Turks.”

Referring to a decision by the European Court of Human Rights ordering Turkey to release Kurdish opposition politician Selahattin Demirtas from prison, Cavusoglu told CNN Turk that Greece has also failed to comply with verdicts by the court concerning minority rights.

He also slammed EU’s foreign policy chief, Federica Mogherini, for being “out of line” after her criticism of Turkey over the detention of journalists, academics and Demirtas at a meeting between the EU and Turkey on Thursday.

“You had to see their faces during our meeting when I challenged them and asked, ‘Why are you so silent when it comes to Greece’s noncompliance.’”

Subscribe to our Newsletters

Enter your information below to receive our weekly newsletters with the latest insights, opinion pieces and current events straight to your inbox.

By signing up you are agreeing to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.