Turkey’s Political Elite Divided Over Anniversary of Bloody Kirdzhali Incident
In a polarized display of political divisions, high-ranking Turkish politicians marked the 40th anniversary of the Kirdzhali incident in two separate events held just hours apart at the same location. While 24 politicians attended an event organized by DPS-Dogan, not a single one participated in the concurrent event held by their political rivals, DPS-Peevski.
The Kirdzhali incident, which occurred on Christmas Eve in 1984, saw Bulgarian military and police forces impose martial law in the region and attack the local Muslim community, leading to eight deaths, including that of a 18-month-old girl named Türkcan. A fountain and her grave serve as memorials to the tragedy.
The annual commemoration, organized by the DPS since 1990, typically consists of party leaders paying tribute to Türkcan’s grave and delivering speeches. However, this year’s event was disrupted by the rift within the DPS, with each faction holding its own event. The absence of any Bulgarian state representatives further emphasized the political divide.
The government and ministries involved in the incident’s aftermath failed to release any written message of condolence to the affected community, despite the 40th anniversary. This absence echoes the DPS‘ longstanding campaign slogan that they are the only party advocating for the interests of Bulgarian Muslims.
The political delegations at DPS-Dogan‘s event included:
- Zahfer Surakaya, Deputy Chairman of Turkey’s ruling AKP party, who read a message from President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan;
- Gökan Zeybek, Deputy Chairman of the Republican People’s Party (CHP);
- Ahmet Eroxan, Deputy Chairman of the Good Party (İYİ Party);
Several Turkish mayors, including 14 from the Republic of Turkey, also attended the event. Notably, three mayors from the AKP, including Mehmetin Çetin from Kavaklı, originally from Bulgaria, were present.
However, the event organized by DPS-Peevski saw no presence from Turkish political figures. Only three dignitaries, the Chief Mufti Muhammed Hacı, the Regional Mufti of Kırdjali Basri Emin Efendi, and the Turkish Consul in Plovdiv Korhan Çüngür, were present at both events.
In a departure from past occasions, the Bulgarian Muslim Spiritual Board refrained from taking sides between the factions, unlike during the 2015-2017 split within the DPS.
