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The Advisory Council of the Western Thrace Turkish Minority criticized Greece for opening two schools with very few students while minority primary schools in Musakoy, Evros and Mizanli, Xanthi remain closed despite having sufficient enrollment on Thursday.
The council called the situation a “clear double standard.”
In a written statement, the council said Greece has been systematically closing Western Thrace Turkish Minority schools under the pretext of “low student numbers,” a practice it says violates the Lausanne Peace Treaty.
The council noted that last year, a school in Argiri village, Karditsa, was opened for a single student, and this year, a school on Kea Island was opened for just two students. “The same approach is not applied to minority schools, which deeply saddens us,” the statement said.
The statement recalled comments by Education, Religious Affairs, and Sports Minister Sofia Zaharaki, who said “national beacons remain open even with two students.” The council responded: “While steps are taken for national beacons, we cannot understand or accept the extinguishing of the minority’s beacons one by one.”
The council urged authorities to end discriminatory practices and uphold the principle of equal citizenship for all.
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