site.btaProf Kayapinar from Turkish National Defence University: Turkiye-Bulgaria Relations Got Enriched with New Dimensions in 2023

This year left a mark on the development of Turkiye-Bulgaria relations, which acquired new, broader dimensions in 2023, Prof Ayse Kayapinar of the Turkish National Defence University's History Department, said in a BTA interview. In her words, this year marked a century since the establishment of the bilateral diplomatic relations, which were not severed either in World War II or during the Cold War. Despite having their ups and downs, the bilateral ties constantly gain positive speed. 

Asked to comment on 2023 in the context of bilateral ties, the renown specialist in Turkish-Bulgarian relations outlined the curve of ups and downs in those ties in the 20th century. She noted that the bilateral relations have been constantly gaining positive speed in the first quarter of the 21st century, despite slight jolts from time to time. According to Prof Kayapinar, this year was important in terms of Bulgaria's cooperation with Turkiye, because Bulgaria was the first country to help with equipment and rescue teams during the catastrophic quakes of February 2023 and was among the first countries to launch a charity campaign.

She described as an important initiative the opening of a BTA press club in Ankara, attended by Bulgarian Vice President Iliana Iotova, BTA Director General Kiril Valchev, Bulgarian Ambassador Angel Cholakov, and Anadolu Agency Director-General Serdar Karagoz.

"I was strongly impressed by how many Turkish TV series are watched with interest in Bulgaria, and Bulgarians' desire to get to know Turkiye and the Turkish people and to learn the Turkish language is growing," she noted.

"Turkiye cooperates with Bulgaria on many matters. Looking back at 2023, we see that cooperation was achieved in many areas, such as communication, education, culture, art, trade, justice, politics, energy, and tourism and that significant progress was made in these areas," she said further.

Prof Kayapinar noted the fact that Bulgarians do not need visas to visit Turkiye and are third in number among foreign tourists visiting her country.

"Despite the policies on the Turkish minority in Bulgaria in the past having created sderious problems and difficulties, those born and raised in Bulgaria who moved to Turkiye after 1989, as citizens with dual citizenship, created opportunities for strengthening Bulgaria's ties with Turkiye. Though some cracks appear sometimes, as a whole the balance sheet for 2023 is positive and brings the two peoples together," she told BTA.