Every may bulgarian turkic people (turks and tatars) another muslims (pomaks, gipsies) mark the tragic date of the eviction of Turks and Muslims from Bulgaria. Exactly 40 years ago the bulgarian authorities began the policy of the Revival Process, based on the assimilation of Turkish and Muslim national minorities, changing surnames to Bulgarian and Christian, closing mosques and Islamic schools, banning prayers, etc. And 35 years ago on May the bulgarian government decided to evict these peoples from Bulgaria.

The protests were not long in coming. Already in the first days, more than 11 thousand people took part in rallies and demonstrations, but the protests took place peacefully. Security services seized only a few knives and batons from their participants. However, many demonstrators were arrested and exiled to a colony on the island of Belene.

Sofia's actions became public knowledge only after French President Francois Mitterrand canceled an official visit to Bulgaria in protest. Immediately after this, the leadership of the ruling Bulgarian Communist Party announced that the operation in Kardzhali had been successfully completed, but it would continue in other regions of the country where ethnic Turks live.

At the same time, the communist regime carried out an active ideological campaign. The government's apparent violation of human rights was officially called "revival", supposedly involving the "return of ethnic Turks to their Bulgarian roots." Communist propaganda tried to convince the rest of the population and the world community that this was a voluntary decision of the Turkish minority. But growing resistance reduced all these efforts to zero.

In 1989, the situation got out of control. The communists suggested that the growing pressure could be reduced by allowing the Turks to leave for their homeland. In May, party leader and head of state Todor Zhivkov addressed the population and invited everyone to leave the country. Many ethnic Turks began to prepare to leave, and some native Bulgarians shamelessly profited from this - they bought houses from the Turks at bargain prices and sold them used cars at exorbitant prices. Kilometer-long traffic jams have formed at the border.

However, for many Turks, life in Turkey remains a dream. After more than 300 thousand Bulgarian citizens entered Turkey, Ankara closed the border at the end of August 1989.

Anyway, this is the tragedy spot in the history of Turks (largest national minority) and muslim people. My condolences.