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Turks of Western Thrace

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Turks (Turkish: Batı Trakya Türkleri; Greek: Τούρκοι Δυτικής Θράκης - Turki Dhitikis Thrakis; Bulgarian: Западнотракийски турци - Zapadnotrakiyski turtsi) form a minority group in Greece, traditionally settled in the Western Thrace region of Greece, which is composed of the three prefectures (Xanthi, Rhodope and Evros) out of five of the Greek periphery East Macedonia and Thrace. According to official sources, they number approximately 50,000, out of the approximately 98,000 Thracian Muslims recorded in the 1991 census. The size of the Muslim minority as a whole (as well as the Turkish identifying component) may be slightly different according to various NGOs. According to Human Rights Watch, the Muslim minority numbers between 80,000 and 120,000 (1999), and they will tend to attribute "Turkishness" to the entire minority.

Within the larger definition of Muslim minority, Turks of Western Thrace were exempted from the 1922-1923 Exchange of populations between Greece and Turkey and were recognized special rights within the framework of Lausanne Treaty, such as education in the Turkish language.

Within Turkey, the term is used either in the form of Batı Trakyalı for being specific on their provenance or of Trakyalı since they are part of a single cultural aire with the native inhabitants of Turkey's Thrace (Eastern Thrace). Outside Thrace, many are also settled in or around İstanbul or İzmir or in the Western Anatolian countryside, and were either born in Western Thrace or can trace close ties there. A non-negligible number of Turks of Western Thrace also live as immigrants in Germany and other European countries.

Politics

In 1990 a new electoral law was introduced in Greece, which set a threshold of at least 3% of the nationwide vote for a party to be represented in the parliament. The participation of members of the Muslim Minority in the Greek parliament is guaranteed as all political parties have Muslim candidates from Western Thrace. Moreover, 0.5% of the admitted students in Greek universities are guaranteed to be members of the Muslim minority.

Notable Turks of Western Thrace

See also

References

External links



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