Turks in Bulgaria

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Unofficial flag of the Bulgarian Turks.

The Turks in Bulgaria have lived there since the end of the 14th century, after the Ottoman Empire began to establish its existence on the Rumelian lands. Then in the 16th century, social changes in Anatolia led large groups of ethnic Turks to settle in Bulgaria and elsewhere in the Balkans.

According to Ottoman state policy, many people from Anatolia were settled into Bulgaria and the Balkans as well. Today, Turks of Bulgaria live compactly in two rural areas in the Northeast (Ludogorie/Deliorman) and the Southeast (the Eastern Rhodopes).^[1] Besides the ethnic Turks who are Muslims there are other Muslims in Bulgaria. Historical evidence shows that most of the Muslims in Bulgaria originated from outside the Balkans, while the rest were converts from the indigenous population.

In the period between 1985 and 1989, the communist government of Bulgaria, led by Todor Zhivkov, attempted to forcefully assimilate the country's Turkish minority. After the introduction of the new laws in 1985, the Bulgarian government banned Turkish education and sought to erase Turkish culture and identity. Turkish names were forcibly changed to Slavic ones and over 300,000 ethnic Turks emigrated to Turkey in light of heavy persecution. These laws were removed after the change to democracy in the early months of 1990. Many have reverted their old names and numerous times the Bulgarian governments since 1991 have appologised to the Turkish minority.

1 Population
2 Famous Turks of Bulgaria
3 See also
4 Notes
5 References

[edit] Population

According to the 2001 census, there are 746,664 ethnic Turks in Bulgaria. They form the absolute majority in the province of Kardzhali and relative majority in the province of Razgrad. ^[2]

Forced Bulgarisation of the Turkish minority in Bulgaria started in summer 1984. By then there were 700.000 - 1.000.000. There were clashes between Bulgarians (troops, villagers) and members of the Turkish minority. On 10 May 1989 travel restrictions to foreign countries were partly lifted. End of May grave disturbances in regions inhabited by members of the Turkish minority. Todor Zhivkov gave a speech on 29 May 1989, in which he demanded that Turkey open its borders in order to receive all "Bulgarian Muslims", who wanted to live there. Thereupon followed an exodus till August 1989 of over 300.000 Turks to Turkey. On 10 November 1989 Zhivkov was replaced by Peter Mladenov and by the end of that year communism fell.