Bulgaria's Notorious Ethnic Turk Launches Latest Provocation

A week ago, Notorious Bulgarian ethnic Turk, Yuzeir Yuzeirov, arrived at CEC dressed in a jacket and boxers to register his brother as presidential candidate. Photo by Sofia Photo Agency

Notorious Bulgarian ethnic Turk, Yuzeir Yuzeirov, launched his latest provocation Friday by declaring it a "great day for Turkish democracy" in Bulgaria.

"Today we broke the 130-years-long blockade imposed on us. A great day, a great victory, I wish to share with all our compatriots who perished in the fight," Yuzeirov said before entering the Investigative Office in the northeastern city of Targovishte. He had asked earlier for a translator to interpret in Turkish the charges against him.

He was arrested three days ago on charges of financial fraud and money laundering of BGN 350 000 after the Prosecutor's Office requested his detention for failing to act on a number of subpoenas.

Exactly a week ago, Yuzeirov staged a show at the offices of the Central Election Commission, CEC, arriving dressed in a jacket and only boxers underneath. He told the media the attire was a sign of protest against the authorities refusing the register his Muslim party. Yuzeir is the Head of the Initiative Committee for the nomination of his brother Ali to run for president.

The ethnic Turk further stated Friday he had no idea what he was charged with, but labeled the indictment ridiculous, saying he could prove every single penny of his income.

"Today we put on their knees Bulgarian chauvinists. Today, for the first time, Bulgaria provided a Turkish translator for a Bulgarian citizen. This is a great victory for all, not just for me," he declared.

Yuzeirov further recited for the journalists his own version of the famous Bulgarian patriotic poem "I Am a Young Bulgarian" by replacing every time the word "Bulgarian" with the word "Turk."

On Thursday, his brother, Ali Yuzeirov, announced he would lead his presidential campaign only in the Turkish and Roma languages and appeared on TV wearing a fez.

The brothers insist Bulgaria needs them since the ethnic Turkish party Movement for Rights and Freedoms, DPS, did not do their job right.

In the beginning of April, 2010, Yuzeirovi's attempt to found the Muslim party OTOMAN in the city of Shumen failed because the brothers were unable to gather the needed 500 supporters. Ali Yuzeirov complained at the time that many buses and followers on foot were on their way but could not arrive to the meeting because they were stopped by the police.

The abbreviation OTOMAN stands for "Union for Tolerance, Responsibility, Moral, and Alternative Progress." Yet the party's name bears uncanny connotation to the Ottoman Empire and Bulgaria's bitter past under Turkish dominion.

Yuzeirovi claim that OTOMAN's main goal is to promote religious and ethnic tolerance. Their similar initiatives in the summer and fall of 2009 have been slammed by many commentators as attempts to stir ethnic and religious tension.

In the fall of 2009, the two brothers erected a monument of the Unknown Turkish/Muslim Soldier near Targovishte, which was torn down by the authorities after court action.

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