site.btaExpert Analyses Dogan's January 3 Statement

In an interview on www.marginalia.bg, historian and cultural anthropologist Antonina Jeliazkova analyzed a statement by Movement for Rights and Freedoms (MRF) Honorary Chair Ahmed Dogan that was released on January 3.

Dogan argued that the MRF is poised to become "a corporate partisan organization working for payment". Jeliazkova counters that shortly after the establishment of the Movement, Dogan, "for objective and subjective reasons, himself pushed his supporters and active members to corporativeness, paid partisanship, unlimited empowerment at the local level and uncritical subordination." "Now the Chair probably wishes to cleanse his vitiated image, to vindicate himself in the eyes of the people who back him by suggesting that he acted within the admissible boundaries which have now been crossed," the expert said, adding that another probable reason is "a desire to save voter support for the Movement."

Jeliazkova, who studies ethnic and religious minorities in Bulgaria and the Balkans, recalled that the MRF has lost 100,000 voters over the last ten years according to certain statisticians and observers and 200,000 in her estimate in all communities in both Bulgaria and abroad.

Approached about Dogan's idea that the MRF should be co-chaired by its Floor Leader Delyan Peevski and by MP Dzhevdet Chakarov, the interviewee saw this as an indication that the Honorary Chair has realized that depriving the Movement of its well-set image as a "Turkish" party defending the rights of Bulgarian Turks and Pomaks will further erode support for the MRF - by another between 50,000 and 100,000 votes.

Pomaks are ethnic Bulgarian Muslims whose ancestors converted to Islam while the country was under Ottoman rule.

Jeliazkova noted that Peevski is "essential" for the movement because he actively campaigns among Roma in several municipalities and among Pomaks in the areas of Blagoevgrad and Gotse Delchev (Southwestern Bulgaria). She described Chakarov as "very good at listening to people" and one who will soothe passions in the Eastern Rhodopi area (South Central Bulgaria) and probably in the Northeast, too.

The expert assumed that this will relieve the "rebellious attitudes" of emigrants in  Türkiye "who have long been building up criticism and resentment against the MRF leadership but grudgingly toe the party line at the ballot box just to make sure that their relatives back in Bulgaria are safe."

She is afraid, however, that "Chakarov is an intelligent and accommodating person who can easily be pushed aside or even crushed by the aggressive Peevski. This may open new fronts for divisions in the Movement instead of healing discontent and consolidating supporters".

Replying to a question, Jeliazkova explained that the MRF has never been against an ethnic expansion of their power base - as long as this does not blur and marginalize what is essential for their traditional supporters.

Asked whom Dogan's statement is addressed to:  Türkiye, Russia or the US, the interviewee said that "the MRF quite clearly and staunchly stands up for its Euro-Atlantic affiliations." "Türkiye is naturally a fixture in their thoughts and considerations, being their Mother Country (Anavatan) which supports them in adversity," the expert observed.