60,000 Turkish families in Western Thrace face citizenship struggles, versus easier re-citizenship for Greeks in Turkey.
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Summary: The rights of 60,000 Turkish families in Western Thrace have been violated as they struggle to regain Greek citizenship, despite favorable European court rulings. Greece denies citizenship to Turks, including those married to Greeks or invested in the country, while Turkey simplifies re-citizenship for Greeks. Discussions about reopening Heybeliada Seminary have reignited issues about the citizenship of Turks in Western Thrace and Greeks in Istanbul. Greeks in Istanbul lost citizenship due to the repealed Article 19 of the Greek constitution. Turkey has granted citizenship to officials from Greece and the U. S. to address clergy shortages.
The rights of 60,000 Turkish families in Western Thrace have been violated, as many Turks struggle to regain their Greek citizenship, despite favorable rulings from European courts. While Greece continues to deny citizenship to Turks—even those married to Greek citizens or those who have invested heavily in the country—Turkey has facilitated the re-citizenship process for Greeks.
As discussions over the reopening of the Heybeliada Seminary intensify, issues surrounding the citizenship of Turks in Western Thrace and Greeks in Istanbul have resurfaced. The seminary, closed in 1971, remains a sensitive topic, with the Greek Orthodox community unable to train clergy domestically. Meanwhile, Turkey has granted citizenship to religious officials from Greece or the U.S. to fill the gap.
The citizenship plight of Greeks in Istanbul is echoed by the 60,000 Turkish families from Western Thrace, who lost their Greek citizenship due to the now-abolished racist Article 19 of the Greek constitution. Civil society groups representing Western Thrace Turks argue that despite favorable rulings from the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR), Greece has failed to restore their citizenship.
Historic Discrimination
Salih Meriç, President of the Black Sea Rumelia Federation, explained that Greece implemented Article 19 in 1955 as part of a broader effort to reduce the Turkish population in Western Thrace. Under this law, Turks who left the country were stripped of their citizenship. Although the article was abolished in 1998, its effects remain, as it was not applied retroactively. Thousands of Turks remain stateless, despite their victories in international courts.
Unmet Promises and Legal Deadlock
While Turkey has taken steps to restore citizenship to Greeks, Greece has not reciprocated, denying citizenship to Turks, even to those married to Greek nationals or those who invested millions in the Greek economy. According to Meriç, “Some Turks spent significant money on ECHR cases, yet Greece refuses to honor these rulings.”
Demographic Concerns
Greece’s policies are also seen as an attempt to shift the demographics of Western Thrace. Greek Family Minister Sofia Zaharaki announced incentives for Greek families to settle in the region, offering €10,000 in marriage aid and monthly payments to 1,000 couples.
Court Rulings Ignored
Hasan Küçük, President of the Western Thrace Turks Solidarity Association, highlighted the legal limbo in Greece. “These applications have been pending for years,” Küçük stated, stressing the need for political action to enforce court decisions.
Calls for Reciprocity
Meanwhile, Greek civil society leaders like Nikos Uzunoğlu have called for Turkey to establish a program that would allow descendants of Greek citizens from Istanbul, Imbros, and Tenedos to reclaim Turkish citizenship, a move that echoes the demands of Turks in Western Thrace for their own rights to be restored.
