The issue of a «Turkish minority» in Greece was raised - on Greek soil - by the Turkish Deputy Foreign Minister, Yavuz Selim Kiran, during his two-day private visit to our country, focusing on the Thrace.
In a delirious post on twitter, the Turkish official did not hesitate to claim that his «compatriots» (!) are subjected to restrictions on religion and language, neglecting of course to mention the eradication of the once thriving Greek community of Istanbul. Or the genocides against the Greeks of Ionia and Pontus.
Kiran, who is in Thessaloniki, visited the Museum of Mustafa Kemal, where the Turkish consulate is housed and also the Yeni Mosque, while according to the programme, he is expected to tour the sights of the Upper Town.
In his twitter post, from Thessaloniki, on the occasion of the visit, Yavuz Selim Kiran said:
«I met with representatives of the Turkish Community of Thessaloniki. Pressures, restrictions on freedom of language, religion and worship against our people are unacceptable. We are always close to our own people who maintain their identity and religion against all odds. We started our visit to our own people in Greece from the house of Kemal Atatürk, the founder of our Republic. We are working to be a pioneer of peace and stability in our region under the motto “peace at home, peace in the world”.».
We met w/representatives and religious officials of Turkish community in #Thessaloniki.
🔸Pressures&restrictions on freedom of language,religion&worship against our kinsmen are unacceptable.
🔸We are always with our kinsmen, who conserve their identity&religion against all odds. pic.twitter.com/j5atLnicjR- Yavuz Selim KIRAN (@yavuzselimkiran) May 5, 2021
Based on the schedule that has been made public, the Afternoon Mr. Kiran will go to Komotini, where he will have contacts and meetings with institutions of the Muslim minority, tomorrow he will visit Xanthi (morning) and at noon he will go to Didymoteicho, where he will tour the mosque of Bayezid, which is in the process of repairing the damage caused by a fire.
From there you will return by road in Turkey.
