ИЗСЕЛНИЧЕСКАТА ВЪЛНА ОТ ЛЯТОТО НА 1989 Г. – ОПИТИ ЗА РАЗРЕШАВАНЕ НА КРИЗАТА В БЪЛГАРО-ТУРСКИТЕ ОТНОШЕНИЯ
EMIGRATION WAVE IN THE SUMMER OF 1989 – ATTEMPTS TO RESOLVE THE CRISIS IN THE BULGARIAN–TURKISH RELATIONS

Summary/Abstract: In the summer of 1989 a mass emigration of Bulgarian Turks began. It was caused by the so-called “revival process” that started in the end of 1984 and was directed towards the assimilation of this ethnic minority. Another reason for the emigration were the important changes that took place during the first half of 1989 in Bulgaria, but also in the sphere of international relations. Within three months more than 300 000 people left the country. This caused a sharp aggravation of the relations between Bulgaria and Turkey, already seriously damaged since the beginning of 1985. Bulgarian historiography still lacks depth study of the international aspects of the crisis in the Bulgarian-Turkish relations. This paper aims at tracing the attempts undertaken by the USSR to overcome the crisis through bilateral dialogue between Ankara and Sofia. Using unpublished archival documents, it analyses the activities of the Soviet diplomats and of Bulgarian and Turkish authorities and the results of the Soviet mediation.

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