The Turkish minority in Bulgaria

Abstract

The article presents the events which led to the emigration of over 300,000 Bulgarian Muslims to Turkey between May and September, 1989. It traces the development of the Turkish Muslim community in Bulgaria from its origins in the 14th century, its growth during the Ottoman period, and the policies of the various Bulgarian governments towards the Turkish minority during this century, with particular emphasis on the assimilation programme of the Zhivkov regime, up to the change of government in January 1990.