FUEN member organization the Friendship Equality and Peace (FEP) Party from Western Trace, Greece reported about hate speech statements made in public against the Turkish minority from Western Thrace. The FEP Party condemned the racist and discriminatory rhetoric used against the Muslims living in Greece and the Western Thrace Turkish minority by the Central Union Party Chairman Vasilis Leventis and calls upon him to reconsider his words.

Greek politician Vasilis Leventis, Chairman of Central Union Party (Enosi Kentroon) represented in the Parliament made the hateful statements at a press conference at the Thessaloniki Fair. Mr Leventis depicted all Muslims living in Greece as targets and as a source of threat, suggesting the ban of political participation for these citizens and legitimizes efforts to create second and third class citizens. 

FUEN President Loránt Vincze expressed its full solidarity with the Western Trace Turkish community from Greece and the Friendship Equality and Peace Party. Mr Vincze declared: “The statements of Mr Vasilis Leventis, Chairman of Central Union Party (Enosi Kentroon) about the political representation of the Turkish minority in the national Parliament is unacceptable in a democratic society and needs to be firmly rejected by all political forces. Xenophobia, islamophobia and ethnic discrimination are unworthy of Greece and the Greek society. The Turkish Muslim community lives in Western Trace for many centuries, they are a European autochthonous minority, which needs to be protected and promoted.”

On behalf of the FUEN family, the FUEN President sent his best wishes to the FEP Party and President Mustafa Ali Cavus.