The Greek government has appointed new muftis in Komotini (Gümülcine) and Xanthi (Iskeçe), proceeding with the appointments despite calls from the Turkish minority in Western Thrace to elect its own religious leaders.
A controversial presidential decree formalizing the appointments was published in Greece’s Official Gazette on Friday.
Under the decree, Bilal Kara Halil, a former deputy mufti in Xanthi, was appointed mufti of Komotini, while Şükrü Şerif Damatoğlu, who worked as a religious official on the island of Kos, was appointed mufti of Xanthi.
Both appointments are for five-year terms.
The dispute over mufti appointments in Western Thrace dates back to 1985, when Greek authorities began appointing muftis following the death of Hüseyin Mustafa Efendi, then mufti of Komotini.
In 1991, Greece amended its legislation, removing provisions concerning the election of muftis and cementing the appointment-based system.
The changes led to a dual structure in the region, with state-appointed muftis operating alongside religious leaders elected by the Turkish minority in Western Thrace.
Greek authorities do not officially recognize the muftis elected by the minority, whose representatives continue to regard their own elected religious leaders as legitimate.
Ibrahim Şerif in Komotini and Mustafa Trampa in Xanthi are recognized by the minority as its elected muftis.
Representatives of the Turkish minority cite the 1923 Treaty of Lausanne, the 1913 Treaty of Athens and Law No. 2345, enacted in 1920, as legal grounds for their right to elect muftis. They call on the Greek government to end the appointment system and officially recognize the religious leaders chosen by the minority.
The Greek government, meanwhile, maintains the controversial appointment system, treating muftis as public officials.
