European Bureau for Lesser Used Languages Bureau europeen pour les langues moins repandues Greek Member State Committee of EBLUL
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EBLUL Calls on Greece to Respect ECHR's Decision
on the Home of Macedonian Culture

May 17, 2005

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Naoussa (Negush) -- The Greek Member State Committee of the European Bureau for Lesser Used Languages (EBLUL) witnessed with mixed emotions the Prime Minister of Greece Mr. Kostas Karamanlis addressing the Council of Europe's (CoE) Summit in Warsaw.

Mr. Karamanlis stressed that the main topic of his talks with his European counterparts was -- among other things -- the big challenges of our time, such as the protection of minorities.

While referring to the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR), he specifically claimed that "..the disrespect and the refusal of certain countries to immediately and unconditionally implement the Court's rulings ... jeopardize not only its reliability but also human rights in Europe."

No one could really disagree with the above. However, for yet again, a Greek state official of the highest level has made a selective remark to the so- called "Loizidou Case". In other words, indirectly but at the same time plainly accusing Turkey for putting in a 2-year reprieve of its conviction on the above case from the ECHR.

Mr. Karamanlis must have forgotten or ignored that for almost 7 years now Greece remains stubbornly incompliant to a similar ECHR ruling that obligates the Greek state to register a purely cultural organization (Home of Macedonian Culture/Dom Na Makedonskata Kultura).

Isn't this attitude of "disrespect" and "refusal" regarding the immediate implementation of an ECHR decision far more glaring than the "Loizidou Case"? Doesn't it not also jeopardize the reliability of the Court and violate human rights?

The Greek Member State Committee of the European Bureau for Lesser Used Languages calls on Mr. Karamanlis to simply carry into effect what he categorically stated. To immediately and unconditionally respect ECHR's decisions regarding Greece, contributing at the same time to the enhancement of its role that he aims too.

EBLUL additionally urges Mr. Karamanlis to encourage the ratification and implementation of CoE's Framework Conventions that Greece signed a long time ago, if he truly wants what he expressed before the Summit in the most articulate way: the protection of minorities, human rights and democratic principles.

Athanasios Parisis
President of GMSC of EBLUL