EU Regional and Cohesion Policy Implementation of Greece in Western Thrace: Case of Turkish Minority in Western Thrace

Abstract

Regional and Cohesion Policy is the EU's most operational and close-citizen development policy, with visible results. However, with interdependent economic, social, and territorial dimensions, impact of Cohesion Policy (CP) in various regions and social groups has become a contested subject recently. Besides, a particular importance has been given to promoting social cohesion in recent years as a result of successful enlargement waves and economic financial crisis that have brought significant socioeconomic imbalances across social groups including marginalised communities and minorities. CP has broadened its scope to include more social issues and human rights in line with EU strategies in recent years, despite the fact that it does not directly reflect a minority policy. As a result, combating with social exclusion and promoting social inclusion with focus on minorities and vulnerable groups has become CP's primary objectives during the last two programming periods. Therefore, this study examines social inclusion objective of CP in a particular minority region, Western Thrace of Greece, where the Turkish minority exist. Focusing on two main criteria of social inclusion, active participation to socioeconomic and public life and access to resources, services and rights, this study aims to reveal to...