The Turkish community in Bulgaria honors the memory of the victims of the policy of assimilation of the communist regime on the anniversary of the “May events” of 1989.
Over the 45 years of the reign of the communist regime in Bulgaria, hundreds of thousands of ethnic Turks suffered from assimilation policy. Some of them became political prisoners in prisons and camps only because they tried to defend their rights. Every year in May, the Turkish community of Bulgaria honors the memory of the victims of the communist regime.
The pain experienced due to the assimilation campaign of the Communist regime in Bulgaria in the period 1944-1989 against the Turks and other citizens of the country of Muslim origin remains in their memory.
annually, the events dedicated to the memory of the victims of assimilation are held in Bulgaria on the initiative of the Party of Law and Freedom (Tour. Hak Ve özgürlükler Hareketi, Höh). Most party deputies are Muslims and ethnic Turks.
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In 1944, with the support of the USSR, a communist regime came to power in Bulgaria, which increased pressure on Turks and Muslims.
In 1984, the Bulgarian government forced the Turks living in the country, the number of which was about two million people, change their names and surnames and forbade them to speak Turkish in public places. The initiator of the policy of assimilation of the Bulgarian Turks was the then first secretary of the Central Committee (Central Committee) of the Communist Party of Bulgaria, Todor Zhivkov.
This initiative was officially called the “Renaissance” and supposedly provided for “the return of ethnic Turks to their Bulgarian roots.”
Attempts of assimilation by the Bulgarian Communists were made in 1964, 1971-1973, 1982, 1984-1985, but violence reached its peak in 1989.
After the mass protests that intensified in 1989, in particular in the north and southeast of Bulgaria, the regime further increased the pressure on the Turks and other Muslims. As a result, about 30 people died.
In 1985, a secret organization of resistance of Turks and Muslims was created under the leadership of Akhmet Dugan, the current Honor Höh in Bulgaria.
32 Leaders of this organization of about 200 people were arrested and imprisoned.
They continued their struggle from prison and prepared the first protests, which began in 1989 in the northeast of Bulgaria.
In May 1989, Zhivkov opened the border with Turkey and forced to resettle about 400 thousand Bulgarian Turks who refused to change their surnames.
Against the backdrop of the mass protests of Zhivkov, which covered the country, was removed from all posts on November 10, 1989.
The trial in connection with the assimilation of ethnic Turks in Bulgaria has not yet been completed in 1990.
The matter did not go beyond the discussions in parliament. Supporters of the idea of assimilation did not receive proper punishment.