PUBLIC APPEAL  FOR THE RECOGNITION OF NATIONAL MINORITIES
BY 3 MINORITY DEPUTIES AND 13 MINORITY OR NON-GOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS
ON THE OCCASION OF THE 25TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE RESTORATION OF DEMOCRACY (24 JULY)

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To the Speaker of the Greek Parliament and the Party Leaders

23 July 1999

We welcome tomorrow’s 25th anniversary of the restoration of democracy in Greece. We would like to note, however, that, in spite of the unquestionable improvements in the domain of human rights during the last 25 years, the Republic of Greece has an important weakness: it does not recognize the existence of national minorities on its territory, regardless of the fact that many Greek citizens identify themselves nationally as Turks or Macedonians. The undersigned, who either belong to these minorities, or defend as non-governmental organizations their rights, call upon the Greek state:

1. to recognize the existence of a Macedonian and a Turkish minorities

2. to ratify promptly the Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities of the Council of Europe without any conditions for its implementation

3. to implement the principles of the Convention, as well as of the related OSCE documents, so that all forms of discrimination or persecution against members of these minorities cease and, on the contrary, their rights be respected.

Deputies and Organizations of the Turkish Minority (10)

- Birol Akifoglu, Deputy of New Democracy, Xanthi
- Galip S. Galip, Deputy of PASOK, Rhodope
- Mustafa Mustafa, Deputy of the Coalition of the Left, Rhodope
- Advisory Committee of the Turkish Minority of Western Thrace
- Cultural and Educational Minority Association of Chilia
- Turkish Union of Xanthi
- Turkish Youth of Komotini
- Union of Turkish Teachers of Western Thrace
- Western Thrace Minority Scientists’ Association
- Western Thrace Minority Young Academicians’ Club

Organizations of the Macedonian Minority (3)

- Home of Macedonian Culture
- Macedonian Movement for Human Rights
- Rainbow – European Movement [political party of the national Macedonian minority]

Non-Governmental Organizations (3)