Author: Emi Baruch
The majority puts them under the common denominator of “Bulgarian Turks”. He speaks of them impersonally, addresslessly, namelessly. “They” are “somewhere” in the remote corners of the country, called “the mixed regions” of Bulgaria. This vaguely defined territory implies both a removed distance and the possibility of predatory obsession. When Delyan Peevski, sanctioned under the “Magnitsky” law, announces in front of the microphone that he is their “brother”, he does exactly that - crushes, tramples, humiliates, subjugates. But they are not nameless. They are not faceless. They are not “vassals” of the “padishah”. They stand before him and tell him: “No, Mr. Peevski, you do not represent us!”
Zekie Emin is 30 years old, she was born in Razgrad, she is an architect by education, she lives in Sofia:
I was at the protests in 2020, I was also at the big protest on December 1 together with many of my friends. We want to express our civic position. The main reason is the falsehood of the political class. This falsehood is totally cracked and this is obvious to the young people who are looking for the authentic in everything. However, a big problem in the protests is the nationalist language with which people chant - “Bulgarian heroes”, “Janissaries”, “liberation” and so on, references to an empire that has long ceased to exist. Despite this, the anti-Turkish narrative continues to exist in our protest culture. If we are not united even while protesting in the name of democracy, if we do not find a unifying language, there is no way we can be true European citizens, “united in our diversity”.
At the protests on Monday across the country, there were all kinds of my acquaintances and friends - Bulgarians, Turks, Pomaks, Roma - all of them - smart, intelligent, educated, working and equally contributing to the development of this society and this country. We were all there because each of us wants justice and a possible future in Bulgaria. Our generation perceives itself as part of Europe.
"Mr. Peevski is using some of the most vulnerable groups for personal purposes"
Neither Mr. Peevski nor many other representatives of the political class in our country understand this. They underestimate people from minorities - as if for them this is some mass, pushed to some corner of the state, which they can use for political purposes. However, this is not the case, although this has been the picture in our country for many years. The fact is that minorities in Bulgaria do not have good enough political representation and this is the responsibility of the entire society, but especially of politicians.
No, Mr. Peevski does not represent Bulgarian minorities, on the contrary, he uses some of the most vulnerable groups for personal purposes and this in itself paints the landscape to which our fragile democracy has come. However, there is hope: I believe that a large part of young people in our country believe in democracy, perceive themselves as Europeans and are ready to defend their rights.
Türker Mollahasan was born in 1994 in Momchilgrad. He has a doctorate in tax law and works as a lawyer for an international consulting company:
I am married and have a 1-year-old child. I love Bulgaria and want to live here with my family. I support the current protests and actively participate in them. I called for their organization on social networks immediately after the draft budget for 2026 was published. It did not envisage (and still does not envisage) any reforms, but an even greater redistribution from people working in the private sector to people in the public sector. In Bulgaria, pensioners, people with limited work opportunities and those employed in the public sector are more than people working in the private sector.
"We do not want to work for a Magnitsky coalition"
Public spending (state + municipal) is over 50% of GDP. The total tax and social security burden in Bulgaria is also over 50%. This means that people who work in the private sector, if we work one day for ourselves and our family, then the next day we work for the state - understand the "Magnitsky" coalition. This is neither reasonable nor fair. We need drastic reforms. The protest must clearly say: get up, friends, young people "we will not be yoked"!
The above is the reason why we are protesting. The real reason is that we love Bulgaria and we want to live in a normal country, in which there is security, justice and freedom, there is no corruption and political/administrative parasitism. Politicians will be sorely mistaken if they think that this is a protest against specific individuals or in support of a specific political formation. The picture is much bigger.
Delyan Peevski's claim that he represents all Turks, Roma and Pomaks and that he is the only one who protects their interests is absurd. In order for a person to be a leader of a certain community, the members of this community must be able to "see themselves" in this leader and trust him. How can you trust this person when his life embodies everything that Bulgarian Turks, Roma and Pomaks are not or cannot be - a 21-year-old director of a state port without a single day of experience in the field, an investigator in Sofia and a 25-year-old deputy minister without a single day of experience in the field, a director of the National Security Agency without a single day of experience in these circles and as a result a "beneficiary" under the Anglo-American integrity program "Magnitsky".
"Delyan Peevski is harmful to the communities he claims to represent"
Delyan Peevski is harmful to the communities he claims to “represent". Through pressure from the repressive authorities, through threats, he is trying to encapsulate the political representatives of these communities in his formation. In this way, he makes his formation unfit for an official coalition with other parties. As a result of these two things, Bulgarian Turks, Roma and Muslims do not find adequate representation in state bodies. When the people elect directly, we see Bulgarian Turks and Roma as MPs, mayors and municipal councilors, but at the same time they do not become ministers, supreme magistrates, heads of security structures, heads of state-owned enterprises and so on.
The last time a Bulgarian Turk became a deputy minister was in 2014, and that was thanks to his participation in another political formation. The encapsulation of minorities in a political party that can be controlled in this way leads to the aforementioned "phenomenal" phenomena.
People in Sofia who work in the private sector do not have economic dependencies, which is why they openly criticize Peevski. People in small towns do not have this luxury, because there the state/municipality is the largest employer and the largest client of other employers. But even they, in closed circles, show their disapproval.
Ceylan Mehmed is from the 25-30 year old generation. He has a law degree and lives in Sofia.
Today's protests are an expression of accumulated distrust in the way decisions are made in the state. Their meaning is much deeper than disagreement with the proposed budget. People are protesting against the feeling that public power is being alienated from the public interest, important decisions are being made in a non-transparent manner, and real social problems are being ignored. In this sense, the protests have a strong democratic charge - they show that citizens are not passive observers, but active participants in the democratic process.
"Rhetoric that shows political vulnerability"
Peevski's statement that he is the defender of the Turkish, Roma and Pomak communities is a rather elementary political tactic to divert public discontent against his role in governing the state. Members of his party showed unacceptable behavior for members of parliament. The reaction against them was caused precisely by the way they behaved, not because of their ethnicity. It is not surprising that Peevski used this case to draw attention - and not for the first time - to sensitive ethnic issues. This is quite primitive rhetoric that shows political vulnerability. In my professional and friendly circle, people categorically reject the idea of someone single-handedly “appropriating“ representativeness of entire communities, especially when its public image itself is extremely controversial.
Elya Izetova is 22 years old. She graduated in journalism from Sofia University “ St. Kliment Ohridski” and works for the website Offnews.
The protests that we are observing and that we will observe are caused by accumulated fatigue with the status quo and the way the country is governed. The point is in the demand for justice and transparency. People do not simply want a change of faces in power, but a change of the system that has allowed corruption, opacity and a sense of impunity for those in power for years. The participation of young people, my generation Gen Z, is a key element. We are not burdened by the political divisions of older generations.
"We want a future where the rules apply to everyone"
We grew up with free access to information and social networks, which makes us much faster at organizing and zero tolerance for backroom political deals and lack of principles. We want European normality and a future where the rules apply to everyone. Our voice is uncompromising. We have enough energy to cause not just change, but a real opportunity to overthrow the current political model.
The protests will not subside easily. I expect them to become more and more widespread, as civil discontent has reached a critical point. Even people in my circle who have not shown an active interest in politics until now have been provoked by the scandals surrounding the budget and the arrest of Blagomir Kotsev, which shows how deep the discontent in society is.
Peevski's claim that he is the only defender of certain minority groups is an attempt to ethnically encapsulate these communities and speculate on the problems of minorities. This is a cheap attempt at political manipulation.
"My vote cannot be monopolized by one person"
I am a Bulgarian citizen of Turkish origin and my vote, my interests and my choice cannot be monopolized by one person, regardless of his origin or party affiliation. The interests of people of Turkish, Roma and Pomak origin are the same as the interests of all Bulgarian citizens - a decent life, quality healthcare, accessible education, an end to corruption and a functioning economy.
These interests are not defended with empty words or ethnic rhetoric, but with clear and transparent policies. There are thousands of Turks, Roma and Pomaks in Bulgaria who have different political views. To claim that one politician "represents them all" is absurd and an insult to their individuality and right to free choice. No one can be the sole spokesperson or representative of an entire ethnic community. I represent only myself as a free and thinking citizen of the Republic of Bulgaria.