A diplomatic flare-up occurred over the weekend after the Turkish Foreign Ministry referred to a “Turkish minority in Western Thrace” in a social media post marking the 98th anniversary of the Turkish Union of Xanthi.
The Greek Foreign Ministry issued an immediate and firm response, reiterating Greece‘s long-standing position on the matter.
In its post, the Turkish Foreign Ministry celebrated the founding of the Turkish Union of Xanthi, calling it “the oldest civil society organisation of the Turkish minority in Western Thrace.” It added: “We support the Union’s legitimate efforts and honest struggle to use its own name in accordance with the decisions of the European Court of Human Rights.”
Batı Trakya Türk Azınlığı’nın en eski sivil toplum kuruluşu olan İskeçe Türk Birliği’nin 98. kuruluş yıldönümü kutlu olsun!
Avrupa İnsan Hakları Mahkemesi kararları uyarınca, Birliğin kendi ismini kullanması doğrultusundaki haklı çabalarını ve onurlu mücadelesini destekliyoruz. pic.twitter.com/Wl6Famh5D0
— T.C. Dışişleri Bakanlığı (@TC_Disisleri) April 14, 2025
Athens swiftly countered, emphasising that the status of the Muslim minority in Thrace is clearly defined by the 1923 Treaty of Lausanne. In a statement, the Greek Foreign Ministry declared: “The Treaty of Lausanne is clear and explicitly refers to a religious and not an ethnic minority in Thrace. The Greek State fully respects the religious beliefs and cultural particularities of the Muslim minority in Thrace. It reserves to the Greek citizens, members of the minority, full equality and equality of rights.”
The latest exchange comes amid broader regional tensions and long-standing disputes between Greece and Turkey over minority rights, historical treaties, and interpretations of international law. While Ankara frequently refers to the minority in Thrace as “Turkish,” Athens maintains that the term misrepresents the legally established status and diverse composition of the Muslim minority population in the region.
The incident has once again highlighted the sensitivity surrounding minority identity and the importance of historical treaties in shaping bilateral relations between the two neighbouring countries.