Bulgarian Nationalists VMRO Enraged by 'Impudent' Turkish President

Turkish President Abdullah Gul (right) is shown meeting locals in Shumen, July 12, 2011. Photo by BGNES

Bulgarian nationalist party VMRO has cried foul in outrage over the speech that Turkish President Abdullah Gul held in Northeastern Bulgaria in Turkish without allowing interpretation.

Gul, who was visiting Shumen and Northeastern Bulgaria on the second day of his state visit, Tuesday, spoke for 9 minutes to about 2000 locals in the village of Hitrino.

Even though the interpreter made an attempt for a consecutive translation of the speech, Gul did not stop to allow for interpretation. Thus, his speech was understandable for local ethnic Turkish population and the journalists from Turkey but not for the some 30 Bulgarian journalists.

According to the locals who heard Gul's speech, he spoke about the good neighborly relations between Bulgaria and Turkey.

VMRO has reacted Wednesday by demanding an explanation from the Bulgarian Foreign Ministry as to why Gul broke the protocol.

"The refusal of the Turkish head of state to allow his words to be translated in the official language of the host country is a symptomatic demonstration of power on part of the Turkish state. The message the Turkish President is sending is that there is no need for translation because only Turkish is spoken in this region," the VMRO party states, pointing out that the Bulgarian society was devoid of information about Gul's visit.

"The conduct of the Turkish President is immoral, impudent, and stirring ethnic tension," the nationalists have declared.

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