Balkan association president urges dual citizens to vote for Turkish representation

Emin Balkan, President of the Balkan Immigrant Culture and Solidarity Association (BAL-GOC) emphasized that the more Turkish-origin members enter the Bulgarian Parliament, the more beneficial it will be for Turks, and he called on dual citizens to vote in unity and solidarity for the upcoming general election, which will take place simultaneously in a week.

Speaking to an AA reporter, Balkan mentioned that there are many people who are both Turkish and Bulgarian citizens and continue their lives in Bursa, stating that they try to be with them in all their troubles.

Balkan noted that Bulgaria will hold simultaneous general and European Parliament (EP) elections on June 9th, Sunday, and that there are about 73,000 eligible voters in Bursa.

Balkan noted that despite the formation of the government following the last election, the coalition was unable to govern.

Balkan noted that a decision was made to hold elections again, continuing his words as follows:

“On June 9th, there were already EP elections in EU countries. In Bulgaria, two elections were merged. In previous years, the Bulgarian State set up ballot boxes in both Bursa and Türkiye, where many voters cast their votes. We assisted in the opening of ballot boxes around Bursa. As BAL-GÖÇ, we provide logistical support for voting procedures with the authorities of both the Republic of Türkiye and the Republic of Bulgaria. In Bursa, including the Bulgarian Consulate General, 41 ballot boxes will be opened in 33 election regions. Across Türkiye, 23 provinces will host 166 ballot boxes for this election. Since there are consulates in 4 provinces in Türkiye, including Bursa, ballot boxes will also be opened for EP elections in these 4 provinces. Since the majority of voters in Türkiye have a temporary residence address in Türkiye, according to Bulgarian laws, they cannot vote in EP elections, but a very small number of people with a temporary residence address in Bulgaria who are present here that day can vote in EP elections in consulate ballot boxes.”

Balkan emphasized the importance of Turkish dual citizens living in Türkiye or Europe going to the polls for the Bulgarian elections.

Highlighting the impact of votes from countries other than Bulgaria, Balkan explained:

“The direct support for our compatriots with less Turkish density in the Bulgarian geography will be very limited by the votes cast from here. Additionally, there are places like Kırcaali and Haskovo where our compatriots have a higher population, and we can increase the number of MPs. We especially desire for our dual citizens to go there and vote on that day. In recent years, our retired brothers and sisters spent their summer vacations there. Also, June 9th is just before Eid al-Adha. These are opportunities. It’s very important for voters, especially those registered in Kırcaali and Haskovo, to vote there. Besides, we need support in places like Shumen, Razgrad, and other regions, but Kırcaali and Haskovo stand out more.”

Balkan stressed that dual citizens must use their democratic rights and show their presence in the polls.

He continued, “There are pending issues for dual citizens living in Türkiye and other countries. The more of our brothers and sisters we can get into the European Parliament and the Bulgarian Parliament, the better for us. There may be shortcomings among some politicians. We won’t get angry, upset, or resentful. We need to show our unity and togetherness, and we must be at the forefront of the polls where we need to exercise our democratic rights.”

Balkan underlined that Turks living in Bulgaria are citizens of that country with their own identities, and he expressed their desire for Bulgaria to become an advanced democratic country for their well-being.

Calling for support for the Movement for Rights and Freedoms Party, Balkan concluded, “It’s crucial to maintain our support for the Movement for Rights and Freedoms Party. The more of our brothers and sisters are in parliament, the more the more it will definitely benefit us. We believe that it will be beneficial for both Turkish citizens in Bulgaria and those in Türkiye.”