Türkiye condemns Greece over Turkish minority school closures

Turkish Foreign Ministry spokesperson Oncu Keceli on Sunday condemned Greece's closure of eight Turkish minority primary schools in Western Thrace, describing the move as a violation of the Lausanne Peace Treaty and systematic erosion of educational rights.

Systematic erosion of rights

In a statement issued Sunday, Keceli said Athens decided to close the institutions "under the pretext of an insufficient number of students," reducing the total number of minority primary schools in the region to 76. He also criticized new obstacles to first-grade enrollment at the 1st Turkish Minority Primary School of Xanthi, calling the measures "another example of systematic practices aimed at eroding the educational rights of the Turkish minority in Western Thrace."

Lausanne Treaty violations

"These oppressive decisions and practices constitute a violation of the provisions of the Treaty of Lausanne," Keceli said, urging Greece to comply with its international obligations regarding minority and fundamental human rights. "We once again call on Greece, which continues to refrain from implementing international court rulings identifying rights violations concerning the Turkish minority in Western Thrace, as well as the recommendations of leading European institutions, to act in line with its treaty obligations on minority and fundamental human rights," he stated.

Ankara's pledge

Keceli emphasized that Ankara would continue backing the minority's efforts to protect its legal status. "Türkiye will continue to firmly support the Turkish minority in Western Thrace in its struggle to protect its rights and legal status," he added, as the community now faces a reduced network of 76 primary schools across the region.