In an incredible challenge was made by SYRIZA Member of Parliament for Xanthi, Chousein Zeimpek, who argued that Turkey is a secular state unlike Greece.
The MP of the official opposition who comes from the Muslim minority of Thrace, trying to raise the issue of the simultaneous operation of the official mufti and the pseudo-mufti in Xanthi, said:
"Turkey is a secular state. Here (in Greece) it has an official religion, it is not a secular state. I have studied in Turkey and I know…"
Zeimpek's position was made during the meeting of the special committee that functions in the Parliament for development issues of Thrace.
His claim provoked strong reactions from New Democracy MP's Dora Bakoyannis and Euripides Stylianidis, who characterised Zeimpek's attitude as unacceptable.
"The claim that Greece is not a secular state is tragic. There is a ruling religion, there is independence. There is a strong religious and secular tradition," said Stylianidis.
From SYRIZA, MP Georgios Katrougalos, who has served in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in 2015-19, hastened to correct Zeimpek, saying "Greece is a secular state. Obviously Mr. Zeibek wanted to say something else."
Meanwhile, KINAL MP Andreas Loverdos said "It was a given that we would end up there."
READ MORE: Turkey demands Greece to reduce Friday school hours for Muslim schools in Thrace.
