Western Thrace

By George Gilson

Turkish military aircraft flew only 2.5 miles away from Alexandroupolis

“A development cosmogony is taking place in Alexandroupolis” the Prime Minister said earlier

Greek special forces units have been deployed at the Evros borders

It will sail later to Alexandroupolis

Turkey urged Greece early on Sept. 24 to cancel a circular restricting Muslim students and teachers from performing their religious duties. 

Greece must put an end to its interventionist practices and policies of pressure against Muslim religious leaders elected by the Turkish minority in Western Thrace, Turkey's foreign minister said on Sept. 4.

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Now the Muslim minority in Thrace numbers approximately 120,000 members while the Greek minority in Turkey has shrunk to only 3,000

Turkey condemned the decision of Greece for closing 12 more primary schools belonging to the Western Thrace Turkish minority, "using austerity measures and the insufficient number of students as an excuse."

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Turkey on June 17 condemned a Greek court's decision to sentence the elected mufti, or Muslim official, of the city of Xanthi to time in prison with a three-year deferment of the sentence.  

A criminal court in the city of Thessaloniki sentenced Ahmet Mete to 15 months in prison for "disrupting public order by sowing public discord."