Balkans | The Turks of Western Thrace fear the “malignant mentality” that wants to erase the traces of Ottoman Turkishness

Almost a year ago, with the decision made by the Polustra Municipality in Western Thrace, there were reactions to the attempt to build a football stadium in an Ottoman-era Muslim cemetery belonging to the minority in the village of Horuzlu in Xanthi.

In his statement to the APS correspondent, Burhan Baran, deputy of Xanthi for the Movement for Change Party (KINAL), he indicated the need to form a board of trustees to follow up the decision of the municipality of Balustara regarding the cemetery, which is considered a historical heritage, and that the members of this committee have been identified, but it is not possible to obtain the necessary approval. By the Greek authorities for taking office. It might be our most natural way of thinking to look for an intention here.” He said.

Half of the said area had been confiscated over time, Baran said, “This was actually a forest area and there were tombstones among them. We took initiatives to clean this place by getting permission from the municipality. The municipality gave us the machines. After realizing that this place will not be cleaned because it is too old, we asked the municipality to stop the works. Our goal was to clean this place gradually with the help of the citizens.” Use his statements.

Baran stated that while this process was going on, the mayor of Polostra suddenly got approval from the council to build a historic cemetery, football field and stadium.

Baran said that the works on the cemetery stopped after these meetings, “As Burhan Baran, what I want is to protect this historical heritage. These are the elements that unite us.” He said.

“An Attempt to Completely Eliminate the Characteristics of the Foundation, Starting with the Tomb”

Cengiz Omar, one of the writers of Milliyet in Western Thrace, assessed the decision regarding the tomb as “an attempt to completely eliminate the characteristics of the foundation starting from the tomb”.

Umar asserted that the ownership of the tombs belonging to the Muslim Turks in Western Thrace belonged to the minority, and pointed out that the municipality of Bolostra made this attempt since there was not enough Turkish population in the village of Horozlu to claim the foundation’s property.

Umar said, “The current mayor (Yorgos) Getridis is known to be anti-Turkish. He has tried to completely destroy the properties of the institution, starting with the cemetery.” Use the phrase.

Omar said KINAL MP Burhan Baran held a press conference at that time. To draw attention to the problem.

Referring to the announcement that the stones that were removed and rescued from the cemetery were kept in the warehouse, Omar said: “We are talking about a mentality that wants to erase the traces of the Ottomans – the Turks from the region and remove them in a hidden way from every means for the sake of this.” He said.

According to the Turks in Western Thrace, Greece is trying in every way to erase traces of the Turks in the region.

The Thracian Western Turks, who were handed a microphone by the AA reporter, said that Greece had tried in every way to erase traces of the Turks in the region.

And the Turks of Western Thrace, who did not want to reveal their names for fear of discrimination, stated that the Greek state resorted to all means to erase traces of the Turks and Ottomans, especially in Western Thrace.

One of the acquaintances said: “We are talking about a mentality that does not accept our existence. This mentality naturally wants to eliminate all Ottoman-Turkish works. The Horozlu cemetery is an indication of this. Dozens of other similar incidents took place.” He said.

AA