Bulgarian Turks and the Movement for Rights and Freedom: A Political Analysis

Emir Yılmaz

Makale detayları

Bulgarian Turks and the Movement for Rights and Freedom: A Political Analysis

Yazarlar:

Emir Yılmaz

Yayıncı:

Sakarya University

Ana Başlıklar:

Türk Dünyası Çalışmaları

Dergi:

Sakarya Üniversitesi Türk Akademi Dergisi Vol.4 Issue 1, pp.13-22

Belge Tipi:

Makale

Yayın Tarihi:

6/2025

Belge Dili:

Türkçe

Document ID (Org No.):

2001354074

pISSN:

2980-0412

Anahtar kelimeler:

Özet:

 Bulgaria remained under Turkish rule for nearly five centuries. During the Ottoman period, it was the region with the highest density of Turkish population in the Balkans after Anatolia. Despite migrations to Turkey over the past century, approximately 1,500,000 Turks still reside in Bulgaria. Since the Treaty of Berlin in 1878, the Turkish population has held minority status; however, their political participation has increased following Bulgarias transition to democracy after the Cold War and its accession to the European Union. This study examines the Movement for Rights and Freedoms, one of the most significant political organizations representing the Turkish minority in Bulgaria. The primary aim is to analyze the presence of Turks in Bulgaria. In this context, the research questions focus on the general characteristics of the Turkish minority and the transformation of the Movement for Rights and Freedoms into a political structure. The study employs qualitative and descriptive methods, including literature review, historical analysis, document examination, and semi-structured interviews. The theoretical basis for minority rights was based on the legislation that the EU requested from member states. The key findings indicate that Bulgaria pursued assimilation policies following 1878, particularly during the Cold War, however Turkish minority resisted these policies through protests, using slogans such as We were born Turkish, we will die Turkish and We want to study in Turkish. Moreover, Bulgarias democratization and its accession to the European Union played a decisive role in establishing the Movement for Rights and Freedoms as one of the countrys most influential political actors.

 Bulgaria remained under Turkish rule for nearly five centuries. During the Ottoman period, it was the region with the highest density of Turkish population in the Balkans after Anatolia. Despite migrations to Turkey over the past century, approximately 1,500,000 Turks still reside in Bulgaria. Since the Treaty of Berlin in 1878, the Turkish population has held minority status; however, their political participation has increased following Bulgarias transition to democracy after the Cold War and its accession to the European Union. This study examines the Movement for Rights and Freedoms, one of the most significant political organizations representing the Turkish minority in Bulgaria. The primary aim is to analyze the presence of Turks in Bulgaria. In this context, the research questions focus on the general characteristics of the Turkish minority and the transformation of the Movement for Rights and Freedoms into a political structure. The study employs qualitative and descriptive methods, including literature review, historical analysis, document examination, and semi-structured interviews. The theoretical basis for minority rights was based on the legislation that the EU requested from member states. The key findings indicate that Bulgaria pursued assimilation policies following 1878, particularly during the Cold War, however Turkish minority resisted these policies through protests, using slogans such as We were born Turkish, we will die Turkish and We want to study in Turkish. Moreover, Bulgarias democratization and its accession to the European Union played a decisive role in establishing the Movement for Rights and Freedoms as one of the countrys most influential political actors.

 Bulgaria remained under Turkish rule for nearly five centuries. During the Ottoman period, it was the region with the highest density of Turkish population in the Balkans after Anatolia. Despite migrations to Turkey over the past century, approximately 1,500,000 Turks still reside in Bulgaria. Since the Treaty of Berlin in 1878, the Turkish population has held minority status; however, their political participation has increased following Bulgarias transition to democracy after the Cold War and its accession to the European Union. This study examines the Movement for Rights and Freedoms, one of the most significant political organizations representing the Turkish minority in Bulgaria. The primary aim is to analyze the presence of Turks in Bulgaria. In this context, the research questions focus on the general characteristics of the Turkish minority and the transformation of the Movement for Rights and Freedoms into a political structure. The study employs qualitative and descriptive methods, including literature review, historical analysis, document examination, and semi-structured interviews. The theoretical basis for minority rights was based on the legislation that the EU requested from member states. The key findings indicate that Bulgaria pursued assimilation policies following 1878, particularly during the Cold War, however Turkish minority resisted these policies through protests, using slogans such as We were born Turkish, we will die Turkish and We want to study in Turkish. Moreover, Bulgarias democratization and its accession to the European Union played a decisive role in establishing the Movement for Rights and Freedoms as one of the countrys most influential political actors.

 Bulgaristan yaklaşık beş yüzyıl boyunca Türklerin yönetiminde kalmıştır. Osmanlı döneminde, Anadoludan sonra Balkanlardaki en yoğun Türk nüfusuna sahip bölge olmuştur. Son yüzyılda Türkiyeye göçler yaşanmasına rağmen, yaklaşık 1.500.000 Türk halen Bulgaristanda yaşamaktadır. 1878 Berlin Antlaşmasından itibaren azınlık statüsünde olan Türk nüfusunun, Soğuk Savaş sonrası Bulgaristanın demokrasiye geçişi ve Avrupa Birliğine katılımıyla siyasal katılımının arttığı gözlemlenmektedir. Bu çalışma, Bulgaristandaki Türklerin siyasal temsili açısından en önemli oluşumlardan biri olan Hak ve Özgürlükler Hareketini incelemektedir. Çalışmanın temel amacı, Bulgaristandaki Türk varlığını analiz etmektir. Bu doğrultuda araştırma soruları, Türk azınlığın genel özellikleri ve Hak ve Özgürlükler Hareketinin siyasal bir yapıya dönüşüm süreci üzerinde yoğunlaşmaktadır. Araştırmada literatür taraması, tarihsel analiz, doküman inceleme ve yarı yapılandırılmış mülakat gibi nitel ve betimlemeye dayalı yöntemler kullanılmıştır. Azınlık haklarıyla ilgili teorik zemin noktasında ABnin üye ülkelerden istediği mevzuattan hareket edilmiştir. Çalışmanın temel bulguları, 1878 sonrası ve özellikle Soğuk Savaş döneminde Bulgaristanın asimilasyon politikaları izlediğini, ancak Türk azınlığın Türk doğduk, Türk öleceğiz ve Türkçe okumak istiyoruz gibi sloganlarla direniş gösterdiğini ortaya koymaktadır. Ayrıca, Bulgaristanın demokratikleşmesi ve Avrupa Birliğine katılım süreci, Hak ve Özgürlükler Hareketinin ülkenin en etkili siyasal aktörlerinden biri haline gelmesinde belirleyici olmuştur.

Makale detayları

Bulgarian Turks and the Movement for Rights and Freedom: A Political Analysis

Yazarlar:

Emir Yılmaz

Yayıncı:

Sakarya University

Ana Başlıklar:

Türk Dünyası Çalışmaları

Dergi:

Sakarya Üniversitesi Türk Akademi Dergisi Vol.4 Issue 1, pp.13-22

Belge Tipi:

Makale

Yayın Tarihi:

6/2025

Belge Dili:

Türkçe

Document ID (Org No.):

2001354074

pISSN:

2980-0412

Bulgaria

Bulgarian Turks

Movement for Rights and Freedoms (DPS) IndependenceBulgaristan

Bulgaristan Türkleri

Hak ve Özgürlükler Hareketi (HÖH)

Sayı

Makale detayları

Bulgarian Turks and the Movement for Rights and Freedom: A Political Analysis

Yazarlar: Emir Yılmaz

Yayıncı: Sakarya University

Ana Başlıklar: Türk Dünyası Çalışmaları

Dergi: Sakarya Üniversitesi Türk Akademi Dergisi Vol.4 Issue 1, pp.13-22

Belge Tipi: Makale

Yayın Tarihi: 6/2025

Belge Dili: Türkçe

Document ID (Org No.): 2001354074

pISSN: 2980-0412

Bulgaria

Bulgarian Turks

Movement for Rights and Freedoms (DPS) IndependenceBulgaristan

Bulgaristan Türkleri

Hak ve Özgürlükler Hareketi (HÖH)

Sayı

Yazarlar:

Emir Yılmaz

Yayıncı:

Sakarya University

Ana Başlıklar:

Türk Dünyası Çalışmaları

Dergi:

Sakarya Üniversitesi Türk Akademi Dergisi Vol.4 Issue 1, pp.13-22

Belge Tipi:

Makale

Yayın Tarihi:

6/2025

Belge Dili:

Türkçe

Document ID (Org No.):

2001354074

pISSN:

2980-0412