The 12th Annual Meeting of FUEN TAG was hosted by the Turks of North Macedonia

Turkic minorities and communities from eight different European countries gathered in Skopje, the capital of North Macedonia.

The 12^th Annual Meeting of the Working Group on Turkic Minorities and Communities (TAG) of the Federal Union of European Nationalities (FUEN) took place in the capital, Skopje, from 15 to 18 October 2026, hosted by the Turks of North Macedonia.

Organised by the Turkish Democratic Party (TDP) and the Union of Macedonian Turkish Civil Society Organisations on behalf of the Turks of North Macedonia, the meeting brought together Turkic minorities and communities across Europe. Representatives from thirteen Turkic organisations across eight different European countries attended the event.

The meeting, which featured high-level discussions on the current issues facing Turkic minorities and communities in Europe, their political and social representation, as well as the work programme for the coming period and opportunities for cooperation, was attended by Western Thrace Turks, the Turks of Rhodes and Kos, the Crimean Tatars, the Turks of Kosovo, the Turks of North Macedonia, the Turks of Bulgaria, and the Gagauz people of Ukraine and Moldova.

The Turkish community in North Macedonia was introduced

A delegation led by FUEN TAG Spokesperson Halit Habip Oğlu was received by Ambassador of the Republic of Türkiye to Skopje Alper Aktaş on Friday 16 October as part of the programme. Subsequently, the TAG delegation was received at the Prime Minister’s Office by First Deputy Prime Minister of North Macedonia and Minister of European Affairs Bekim Sali and State Minister for International Cooperation and Foreign Investments and President of TDP Zülfikar Zeynula and at the North Macedonian Parliament by TDP Member of Parliament Beycan İlyas.

During the meetings, discussions centred on the current situation and pressing issues facing Turkic minorities and communities living in various European countries, as well as efforts to safeguard their rights, mother tongues, cultural identities and social presence, alongside the international activities carried out by FUEN TAG in this field.

On the same day, the TAG delegation visited the Union of Turkish NGOs in the Republic of Macedonia (MATÜSİTEB), the umbrella organisation for Turkish civil society organisations in North Macedonia. During the visit, the delegation was briefed on MATÜSİTEB’s activities and the work carried out by the Turks of North Macedonia in the fields of education, culture and identity.

FUEN TAG’s 2026–2027 programme of activities and joint roadmap were finalised

At the FUEN TAG roundtable meeting hosted by TDP on Saturday, 17 October, TAG Spokesperson Halit Habip Oğlu outlined the work carried out by TAG over the past year, whilst FUEN Vice-President Nabi Ibraimtzik detailed FUEN’s recent activities.

During the presentations in the session titled ‘‘Get to Know Your Brother’’, information was provided on the current situation of the Turks of North Macedonia, their political representation and civil society structures, as well as the work of TDP and MATÜSİTEB.

Participants then shared updates on current developments and challenges faced by the Turkic minorities and communities in the various European countries to which they belong, as well as the activities of the organisations they represent.

The meeting concluded with the adoption of FUEN TAG’s programme of activities and joint roadmap for the 2026–2027 period.

Following the roundtable meeting, the TAG delegation took a guided tour of the historic Old Turkish Bazaar in Skopje and met with representatives of Turkish educational, cultural and media organisations operating in Skopje at the Köprü Fine Arts Association.