New framework for muftis in Thrace put to House
A new framework regarding the status and function of the Muslim community’s muftis in Thrace, northeastern Greece, was tabled to Parliament on Friday by the Education Ministry.
The new regulations bring significant changes to the 1991 institutional framework. A government official said it sends “a clear message against the politicization of Islam.” The concept of the post is defined in line with the Council of State and the European Court of Human Rights.
The same official said the new regulations represent an effort to protect Islam with the characteristics it has in Thrace, “away from foreign influences that try to change its identity.”
“The symbiosis of Christians and Muslims in Thrace is the best example in Europe, and Greece supports it so it can continue to be, together with the Orthodox Church, a factor in strengthening social cohesion and preserving Thrace’s unique characteristics,” the official stressed.
