Thirty-seven years after the mass migration of ethnic Turks from Bulgaria to Türkiye, survivors of the assimilation campaign say the trauma of forced name changes, cultural repression and violence remains vivid.
Between 1984 and 1989, Bulgarian government implemented policies aimed at assimilating the country's Turkish minority. Hundreds of thousands of ethnic Turks were pressured to adopt Slavic names, abandon the public use of the Turkish language and face restrictions on religious practices. The campaign culminated in the forced migration of more than 350,000 people to Türkiye in 1989.
Among those still haunted by the period is Sevinç Deniz, 60, whose father died after being detained by Bulgarian authorities for refusing to change his name.
Speaking to Anadolu Agency (AA), Deniz recalled that life in Bulgaria had been peaceful before the assimilation campaign intensified in the early 1980s.
"My father was taken from our home during a police raid because he refused to change his name," she said. "Four days later, he returned in a coffin."
Deniz said authorities attempted to replace her father's Turkish name, Mustafa Mehmed Ibrahimov, with a Bulgarian one. According to her, his death certificate and coffin bore the name "Mihail" despite his refusal to accept it while alive.
"When I saw him, there were marks on his body and signs of violence," she said. "He was only 41 years old and had his whole life ahead of him."
Deniz said the experience shattered her family and left lasting psychological scars. Although she occasionally visits Bulgaria, she said memories of the period continue to cause fear and pain.
Another survivor, Nurettin Öztürk, 64, said he also resisted pressure to adopt a Bulgarian name.
"They gave me three days to change my name or leave," he said. Rather than comply, Öztürk moved to another city before eventually migrating to Türkiye.
Öztürk said many Bulgarian Turks longed for Türkiye and were grateful for the opportunity to rebuild their lives after arriving.
"We worked hard and tried not to be a burden on the state," he said. "Today we are thankful. We have homes, our children received an education, and we are satisfied with our lives in our country."
At the same time, he said many migrants maintain emotional ties to Bulgaria, where relatives and ancestral roots remain.
Öztürk also objected to being described as a "Bulgarian migrant," arguing that the label overlooks their Turkish identity and the circumstances that forced them to leave.
For many survivors, the memories of the assimilation campaign remain an enduring part of their lives decades after their arrival in Türkiye.
