A United Nations Independent Expert on Minority Issues has warned Greece over inobservance of collective rights for minorities. After touring the country and meeting government officials and representatives of minority communities, Gay McDougall, has issued a report in which she states that Greece only recognizes the religious Muslim minority living in Western Thrace and denies other national, cultural and ethnic identity other than Greek.

According to Le Courrier des Balkans, McDougall has set forth a proposal according to which Greece should take steps towards effective protection of the "rights to self-determination, freedom of expression and freedom of association" for minorities, and comply with decisions of the European Court for Human Rights referring to the consent given the use of the words "Macedonian" and "Turkish" to define members of such communities.

These are but two of various minority communities in Greece. According to Minority Rights Group, there are also Albanians, Vlachs, Arvanites, Gypsies and Pomaks, neglected by the Greek state, which only acknowledges the "Muslim minority" and one official language, Greek.

UN report has also found evidence of discrimination against gypsies, since children belonging to such community not always gain access to education or are segregated within schools. However, McDougall reports that the government has made some efforts for the inclusion of the Gypsy minority through the Plan of Action for the Roma population.

Athens denies accusations
The Greek government has contradicted the report and accused some elements of dividing and causing tension in Greek society "for their own ends". Athens thus made a veiled accusation to Turkey and Macedonia for interfering in Greek internal affairs. Minister for foreign affairs has declared that "Greece is a democratic state that fully respects human rights, and no report can change that reality".

According to MónDivers, the Council of Europe criticized Greece a few weeks ago for "applying restrictions to minorities".

Further information:

• Le Courrier des Balkans: Minorités en Grèce : les discriminations se poursuivent toujours
• ISRIA: Greece: Statement of Foreign Ministry spokesman Mr. G. Koumoutsakos regarding the Report of the Independent UN Expert on minority issues
• Focus: Greece is democratic state that respects human rights: minister
• Nationalia:Greece fails to respect human rights of its Turkish community