A growing rift is emerging within Bulgaria’s Movement for Rights and Freedoms (DPS-NN) party,as prominent members of the Bulgarian Turkish community publicly denounce the leadership of Delian Peevski. these criticisms, voiced by citizens and former party officials alike, center on concerns about the party’s long-standing connection to economic influence and allegations of divisive tactics.The dissent signals a potential turning point for the DPS, traditionally a key voice for the rights of Bulgaria’s Turkish minority, and raises questions about its future direction amidst broader political scrutiny.Recent statements highlight a generational shift in attitudes, with younger Bulgarians of Turkish descent increasingly distancing themselves from Peevski’s leadership.
A growing number of Bulgarian Turks are publicly distancing themselves from Delian Peevski, leader of the Movement for Rights and Freedoms (DPS-NN) party, signaling potential fractures within the traditionally influential political group. The dissent comes as concerns mount over Peevski’s leadership and the party’s historical ties to economic and political power.
During a broadcast of the “Referendum” program on [date not provided], journalism student Djem Yumerov, identifying himself as a ninth-generation Bulgarian Turk, stated, “I am Djem Yumerov, and I am of Turkish ethnicity for nine generations – parents, grandparents, great-grandparents, and great-great-grandparents. And in my own name, I dare say that the person who divides us most strongly is Delian Peevski. He cannot represent me, not because he is ethnically Bulgarian. In no way can Bayram Bayram or Hami Hami represent me either. We are people from different universes.”
Yumerov continued, criticizing the DPS’s history, stating, “For over 30 years, the DPS has been a party of schemers, some of whom have become oligarchs, while our people were picking tobacco from 5 a.m. We haven’t forgotten who pays for these palaces.” He urged the public not to equate the image of the Bulgarian Turk with figures like Bayram Bayram, asserting, “I don’t deserve that.” He added, “One can point to individual people on individual issues. There is preferential voting. But using the ethnic card and the fears of people, and a shameful historical past, is no longer modern. And Delian Peevski should remember that the Turkish ethnicity has an intolerance for pork, and this will manifest itself sooner or later.”
Sebahattin Ismail, owner of the transportation company “Arda Tur,” echoed these sentiments during an appearance with Veselin Dremdjiev, predicting that “the accumulated hatred will erupt against Peevski’s feudal lords.” Ismail’s son, Ismail Ismailov, resigned from the DPS-NN group in the municipal council on [date not provided] in protest of Peevski’s leadership, stating he would no longer participate in politics.
The discontent appears to be extending to younger generations. Ismail recounted a conversation with his 17-year-old granddaughter, who asked, “Grandpa, is it true that Peevski is stealing our money? And is it true that we are with him?” Ismail said he was surprised by her political awareness, noting, “She told me that’s what they’re talking about all day at school. Honestly, it drove me crazy. And that’s why I decided it was time to get involved in liberating Bulgaria from this model.”
Ismail emphasized that ethnic tensions had not previously been a significant issue, stating, “We’ve never had problems between Bulgarians and Turks. And now we live as neighbors and friends. Now someone is trying to save their own skin and reintroduce the ethnic element. It’s artificial, it doesn’t exist, but it could become dangerous.” He noted the presence of young people, including Turkish youth, in recent protests, adding, “The good thing is that the young people are in the squares now. And they are not just Bulgarian Christians. Our young people are there too.”
Ismail concluded by questioning who enabled Peevski’s rise to power, pointing to a succession of political figures, including the former king, Boyko Borissov, Valeri Simeonov, and Volen Siderov. “Borissov built this model for 15 years,” he stated. The growing opposition to Peevski suggests a potential shift in Bulgaria’s political landscape and a challenge to the established order.
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