Turkey Worried over Bulgaria Turkish-Language News Referendum

Bulgaria's PM Borisov (right) has backed the motion of nationalist party Ataka leader Siderov (left) for a referendum on the Turkish-language news. File photo

Turkey’s Foreign Ministry is following “closely and very carefully” the developments around the intended holding of a referendum in Bulgaria over the 10-minute news emissions in Turkish on the state TV.

This has been stated in a declaration of the Turkish Foreign Ministry as cited by the Anatolian Agency and BTA two days after Bulgarian Prime Minsiter Boyko Borisov declared himself in favor of the motion of his partners from the nationalist party Ataka to hold a referendum over the daily news emissions in Turkish on the BNT 1 channel.

The Turkish Foreign Ministry also states that it is following the reactions to the call for a referendum on the Turkish-language news which have been on air since 2000.

“We expect from the Bulgarian government to exert the necessary efforts for resolving this problem through dialogue within the democratic laws and the respect for human rights,” the declaration reads.

The Anatolian Agency reminds that the leader of the nationalist party “Ataka” (“Attack”) Volen Siderov has asked Prime Minister Borisov to request that Parliament set a date for a national referendum on the issue.

It further cites Borisov’s statement: “Let the people decide. This is the best solution.”

The nationalist party “Ataka” is an ally of Boyko Borisov’s GERB party. In the 240-seat Bulgarian Parliament, GERB has 116 MPs, whereas Ataka has 21.

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