1989 Forced Migration of Turks in Bulgaria

The Forced Migration of Turks from Bulgaria was the culmination of the systematic assimilation policies pursued by Bulgaria’s totalitarian communist regime against the Turkish minority living in the country, resulting in hundreds of thousands of people being compelled to migrate en masse to Türkiye, their ancestral homeland. During this process, over 300,000 Bulgarians of Turkish origin left their country to preserve their ethnic, cultural, and religious identity. This migration had profound social, political, and economic consequences for both the individuals who migrated and the two nations involved.

Turks Migrating from Bulgaria to Türkiye (AA)

The forced migration of Turks from Bulgaria in 1989 began with a televised address by Todor Zhivkov, General Secretary of the Bulgarian Communist Party, on 29 May 1989. In this speech, he announced that Turks living in Bulgaria would be permitted to leave the country. In the following days, particularly between June and September 1989, hundreds of thousands of people migrated en masse to Türkiye.

This migration emerged as a response to the systematic assimilation policies aimed at Bulgarizing the Turkish population in Bulgaria and culminated in approximately 345,000 people seeking refuge in Türkiye within three months. The event is recognized as one of the largest forced migrations based on ethnicity in recent European history.

Background of the Forced Migration

After gaining independence from the Ottoman Empire through the 1878 Treaty of Berlin, Bulgaria pursued a state strategy aimed at creating a homogeneous nation-state, primarily through policies targeting ethnic minorities. Turks and other Muslim minorities were directly affected by these policies. With the establishment of the communist regime after World War II, pressure on minorities intensified, leading to mass migrations to Türkiye in 1950–1951 and 1968.

Assimilation Policies (1984–1989)

In 1984, a campaign known as the “Revival Process” (Vazroditelen Protses) forced Turks in Bulgaria to change their names to Slavic ones. Speaking Turkish, receiving Turkish-language education, practicing religious rituals, wearing traditional clothing, and even observing holiday customs such as baking dough pastries were all banned. Those who resisted were exiled to centers such as Belene Collection Camp. The repression resulting from these assimilation policies triggered resistance movements across various segments of society, becoming the primary catalyst for the migration.

Events Triggering the Forced Migration

In May 1989, protests erupted in regions such as Deliorman and Kardzhali; during these demonstrations, deaths occurred and hundreds were arrested. On 29 May 1989, Todor Zhivkov announced on Bulgarian television that those wishing to leave the country would be permitted to do so. This announcement formally initiated the forced migration known as the “Great Excursion” (Golyamata Ekskurziya).

Symbol of Resistance to Assimilation: Naim Süleymanoğlu

One of the most prominent figures associated with the 1989 forced migration of Turks from Bulgaria was weightlifter Naim Süleymanoğlu. Born in 1967 in Mestanlı, near Kardzhali, Süleymanoğlu became a symbol of resistance to Bulgaria’s assimilation policies.

Under the “Revival Process” implemented between 1984 and 1989, his name was forcibly changed to “Naum Shalamanov,” part of the state’s effort to assimilate him into Bulgarian identity. In 1986, during the World Weightlifting Championships in Australia, Süleymanoğlu sought asylum in Türkiye. This act became both a symbolic and practical turning point for the Turkish community in Bulgaria. Although the Bulgarian government attempted to portray the asylum as a Turkish-organized kidnapping operation, the Turkish public widely recognized that Süleymanoğlu had made the decision to flee of his own free will.

Süleymanoğlu’s move to Türkiye was not merely a catalyst for the migration; it also served as a psychological cornerstone of the Turkish community’s resistance to assimilation. His gold medal win at the 1988 Seoul Olympics under the Turkish flag and his subsequent speech at the United Nations drew international attention to human rights violations in Bulgaria. In his speech, he stated: “You may lose your home, your job, even your loved ones, but the last thing a person can lose in life is their identity.”

The Turkish community in Bulgaria referred to him by titles such as “The Key to Kapıkule,” “The Little Giant,” and “Pocket Hercules,” viewing his asylum as an act of courage that opened the spiritual gateway to migration. Süleymanoğlu’s success became a source of inspiration, particularly for younger generations, boosted interest in weightlifting, and strengthened the national identity of the migrant community.

Süleymanoğlu, who passed away in 2017, continues to be remembered by the Turkish community in Bulgaria through a statue erected in his honor in Kırklareli and annual commemorative events. His legacy plays a powerful symbolic role in the remembrance and narration of the 1989 migration.

The Migration Process and Scale

By June 1989, the influx of migrants from Bulgaria to Türkiye had reached extraordinary proportions. Thousands of people crossed into Türkiye daily through border checkpoints, primarily Kapıkule, as well as Dereköy, Hamzabeyli, and Pazarkule. Most migrants arrived by bus, tractor trailers, or on foot, and were held temporarily before being admitted into Türkiye. The Republic of Türkiye established temporary customs and registration centers to expedite border crossings.

According to official records, a total of 345,960 people entered Türkiye between 1 June and 22 August 1989. More than 85 percent of these migrants were of Turkish origin. A significant portion were resettled in provinces such as Edirne, Tekirdağ, Kırklareli, Bursa, and Istanbul, with the Thrace region serving as the primary reception area. Cities such as Eskişehir, İzmir, and Manisa also received large numbers of migrants. The press in Eskişehir extensively covered the integration challenges faced by the migrants and the public support provided to them.

This massive influx of migrants compelled Türkiye to implement rapid measures in areas such as housing, healthcare, education, and the labor market. Large-scale tent cities and guesthouses were constructed, and basic needs were met through cooperation with local administrations.

Following Todor Zhivkov’s removal from office on 10 November 1989, the new Bulgarian government issued appeals for return and extended the validity of passports. As a result, approximately 133,000 people returned to Bulgaria by mid-1990. However, many of these returnees soon realized that conditions in Bulgaria had not improved and initiated a second wave of migration back to Türkiye.

Testimonies

Field research has found that migrants described the migration process as a form of “exile” or “rootless displacement.” Oral history studies have documented a range of traumatic experiences among Bulgarian Turks, from pressure to change their names to children being punished in school for speaking Turkish.

Türkiye’s Policies and Integration Process

The Republic of Türkiye accepted the arriving migrants as “co-ethnics” and implemented supportive policies in housing, healthcare, education, and employment. Some migrants entered the labor market, while others continued traditional occupations such as agriculture. Civil society organizations such as BAL-GÖÇ played an active role during this period.

Developments in Bulgaria and After the Migration

After 1989, following Todor Zhivkov’s removal and a change in regime, Bulgaria developed new minority policies. In 2012, the Bulgarian Parliament officially condemned the policies implemented against Turks between 1984 and 1989. Returnee Turks formed organized structures to represent their political interests and actively participated in politics through parties such as the Movement for Rights and Freedoms (HÖH).

The 1989 forced migration of Turks from Bulgaria stands as a historical example of an ethnic group’s struggle to preserve its cultural identity and the international repercussions of state policies. The event generated multidimensional sociopolitical and demographic consequences for both Bulgaria and Türkiye.