European Union of Nationalities urges Greece to grant religious autonomy to Turkish minority

The Federal Union of European Nationalities (FUEN) has called on Greece to respect the religious autonomy of the Turkish minority in Western Thrace. During its annual conference held in Helsinki from September 17 to 20, 2026, the non-governmental organization urged Athens to allow the minority to choose its own religious leaders, specifically its muftis.

The union noted that while the religious rights of the Turkish minority are protected under the 1913 Treaty of Athens and the 1923 Treaty of Lausanne, the Greek state has been appointing muftis since 1991. The organization criticized recent appointment processes in Dimotiko, Xanthi, and Komotini, stating they do not align with religious independence.

Additionally, the conference approved a resolution regarding the rights of Turks on the islands of Rhodes and Kos, calling for freedom of ethnic expression, the right to organize, and the opening of bilingual schools. The Turkish Muslim minority in Western Thrace is estimated at approximately 150,000 people.