Turkish-Bulgarians cross border for March 26 vote
Despite attempts by Bulgarian far-right groups to provoke Turkish-Bulgarians along the border, many people made their way to Bulgaria to cast their votes in the March 26 general elections.
Thousands of Turkish-Bulgarians drove to Bulgaria to have their say in the March 26 general elections even though far-right Bulgarian groups organized protests at Bulgaria's border with Turkey, saying that they do not welcome people of Turkish origin.
A group of political protesters gathered Tuesday at Bulgaria's Kapitan Andreevo, Lesevo and Malko Tarnovo border gates, which are located across from the Turkish border gates of Kapıkule, Hamzabeyli and Dereköy, creating barricades using chains and car tires.
Bilal Kılıç, a representative for the Democrats for Responsibility, Freedom and Tolerance Party (DOST), said that what happened at the border earlier in the week was a provocation.
"It was definitely a wrong thing according to international law. Our voters are determined to cast their votes," he said.
Also, the Bulgarian government's attempt to limit the political rights of the country's minorities has recently been criticized by Turkey.
Meanwhile President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan criticized what he described as "pressure" on ethnic Turks in Bulgaria ahead of elections in the country.
Addressing representatives of Balkans' migrant groups on Thursday, Erdoğan said he hoped for "fair and transparent" parliamentary elections there on Sunday.
Kılıç slammed the limitation as well, saying that Turkish-Bulgarians would not need to get on buses and flock to Bulgaria in such a way if Bulgaria had not made such a decision.
Erdoğan's statement followed a new law ahead of Bulgaria's March 26 elections limiting the number of ballot boxes for Bulgarian citizens living in Turkey to 35, a move the Foreign Ministry said was intended to hinder ethnic Turkish-Bulgarians from voting.
In spite of the threat of the far-right and limitations by the Bulgarian government, Turkish-Bulgarians will vote in the elections. Bulgaria has a sizeable Turkish minority, in addition to the Pomak [Muslim Bulgarian], Macedonian, Greek and Roma groups.
The political parties "Movement for Rights and Freedoms," and "Democrats for Responsibility, Freedom and Tolerance," which were established by Turkish minorities in Bulgaria, will also participate in the general elections, a fact that has disturbed some ethnic Bulgarian political parties that are afraid to lose voters.
There are 588,318 Bulgarians of Turkish descent in the country, making them the country's largest ethnic minority with 8.8 percent of the population.
Thousands of Turkish-Bulgarians drove to Bulgaria to have their say in the March 26 general elections even though far-right Bulgarian groups organized protests at Bulgaria's border with Turkey, saying that they do not welcome people of Turkish origin.
A group of political protesters gathered Tuesday at Bulgaria's Kapitan Andreevo, Lesevo and Malko Tarnovo border gates, which are located across from the Turkish border gates of Kapıkule, Hamzabeyli and Dereköy, creating barricades using chains and car tires.
Bilal Kılıç, a representative for the Democrats for Responsibility, Freedom and Tolerance Party (DOST), said that what happened at the border earlier in the week was a provocation.
"It was definitely a wrong thing according to international law. Our voters are determined to cast their votes," he said.
Also, the Bulgarian government's attempt to limit the political rights of the country's minorities has recently been criticized by Turkey.
Meanwhile President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan criticized what he described as "pressure" on ethnic Turks in Bulgaria ahead of elections in the country.
Addressing representatives of Balkans' migrant groups on Thursday, Erdoğan said he hoped for "fair and transparent" parliamentary elections there on Sunday.
Kılıç slammed the limitation as well, saying that Turkish-Bulgarians would not need to get on buses and flock to Bulgaria in such a way if Bulgaria had not made such a decision.
Erdoğan's statement followed a new law ahead of Bulgaria's March 26 elections limiting the number of ballot boxes for Bulgarian citizens living in Turkey to 35, a move the Foreign Ministry said was intended to hinder ethnic Turkish-Bulgarians from voting.
In spite of the threat of the far-right and limitations by the Bulgarian government, Turkish-Bulgarians will vote in the elections. Bulgaria has a sizeable Turkish minority, in addition to the Pomak [Muslim Bulgarian], Macedonian, Greek and Roma groups.
The political parties "Movement for Rights and Freedoms," and "Democrats for Responsibility, Freedom and Tolerance," which were established by Turkish minorities in Bulgaria, will also participate in the general elections, a fact that has disturbed some ethnic Bulgarian political parties that are afraid to lose voters.
There are 588,318 Bulgarians of Turkish descent in the country, making them the country's largest ethnic minority with 8.8 percent of the population.