Turks in North Macedonia

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Turks in North Macedonia
Map of the majority ethnic groups of Macedonia by municipality.svg
On municipal level
Turkish Majority Areas in Macedonia.png
On settlement level
Total population
77,959 (2002 census)[1]
3.8% of total population
Regions with significant populations
  • Skopje
  • Gostivar
  • Radoviš
  • Strumica
  • Bitola
  • Tetovo
  • Resen
Languages
  • Turkish
  • Macedonian
  • Albanian
Religion
Sunni Islam
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Turkish people
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People
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Traditional Areas of Turkish Settlement

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History
Culture
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Turks in North Macedonia, also known as Turkish Macedonians and Macedonian Turks, (Macedonian: Македонски Турци, Turkish: Makedonya Türkleri) are the ethnic Turks who constitute the third largest ethnic group in the Republic of North Macedonia.[1] According to the 2002 census, there were 77,959 Turks living in the country, forming a minority of some 3.8% of the population.[2] The community forms a majority in Centar Župa and Plasnica.[1]

The Turkish community claim higher numbers than the census shows, somewhere between 170,000 and 200,000.[2][3] There are additionally roughly 100,000 Torbeš and some of them still maintain a strong affiliation to Turkish identity.[4]

History[]

Bitola in the 19th century

Ottoman era[]

See also: Ottoman Vardar Macedonia

Macedonia came under the rule of the Ottoman Turks in 1392, remaining part of the Ottoman Empire for more than 500 years up to 1912 and the Balkan wars.[5] Ali Rıza Efendi - Mustafa Kemal Atatürk's father comes from Kodžadžik,[6][7] in Centar Župa Municipality, where there is a memorial house.[8]

Modern era[]

Once the Ottoman Empire fell at the beginning of the 20th century, many of the Turks fled to Turkey. Many left under Yugoslav rule, and more left after World War II. Others intermarried or simply identified themselves as Macedonians or Albanians to avoid stigma and persecution.[2] After 1953, a large emigration of Turks based on an agreement between the Republic of Turkey and Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia took place— around 80,000 according to Yugoslav data and over 150,000 according to Turkish sources.[9] Yet many remained and to this day Macedonian municipalities receive various donations from the Turkish Government and many Turkish tourists come to see Ataturk's origin place.

Population of Macedonian Turks according to national censuses[9]
Census Turks Total population of North Macedonia % Turks
1913 Census 209,000[10] 1,082,902 19.3%
1948 Census 95,940 1,152,986 8.3%
1953 Census 203,938³ 1,304,514 15.6%
1961 Census 131,484 1,406,003 9.4%
1971 Census 108,552 1,647,308 6.6%
1981 Census 86,591 1,909,136 4.5%
1991 Census 77,080 2,033,964 3.8%
1994 Census 78,019 1,945,932 4.0%
2002 Census 77,959 2,022,547 3.9%

³ 143,615 gave Turkish, 32,392 gave Macedonian and 27,086 gave Albanian as their mothertongue.[11]

The reconstructed house of Ali Rıza Efendi's family, in Kodžadžik, North Macedonia

Culture[]

Mustapha Pasha Mosque
The Kuršumli Han is one of many Turkish landmarks in the Old Bazaar, Skopje

Language[]

See also: Turkish language

Macedonian Turks speak the Turkish language and secondly Albanian in the west and Macedonian in the east. Turkish is spoken with Slavic and Greek admixtures creating a unique Macedonian Turkish dialect.[12] However, Macedonian is also widely used amongst the community.[13]

Religion[]

See also: Islam in the Republic of Macedonia

According to the 2002 census, Turks make up 12% of the total Muslim population in Macedonia.[14]

Demographics[]

Turkish population in Macedonia according to the 2002 census (Turkish majority in bold):

Municipality Turks
2002 Census[1] 		% Turkish
Greater Skopje 8,595 1.7%
Gostivar 7,991 9.9%
Centar Župa 5,226 80.2%
Plasnica 4,446 97.8%
Radoviš 4,061 14.4%
Strumica 3,754 6.9%
Struga 3,628 5.7%
Studeničani 3,285 19.1%
Vrapčište 3,134 12.3%
Kičevo 2,998 5.3%
Debar 2,684 13.7%
Mavrovo and Rostuša 2,680 31.1%
Dolneni 2,597 19.1%
Ohrid 2,268 4.1%
Vasilevo 2,095 17.3%
Tetovo 1,882 2.2%
Resen 1,797 10.7%
Veles 1,724 3.1%
Bitola 1,610 1.8%
Valandovo 1,333 11.2%
Štip 1,272 2.7%
Bogovinje 1,183 4.1%
Prilep 917 1.2%
Karbinci 728 18.2%
Konče 521 14.7%
Tearce 516 2.3%
Bosilovo 495 3.5%
Dojran 402 11.7%
Čaška 391 5.1%
Pehčevo 357 6.5%
Demir Kapija 344 7.6%
Kočani 315 0.8%
Kruševo 315 3.3%
Kumanovo 292 0.3%
Vinica 272 1.4%
Negotino 243 1.3%
Sopište 243 4.3%
Mogila 229 3.4%
Makedonski Brod 181 2.5%
Kavadarci 167 0.4%
Lozovo 157 5.5%
Delčevo 122 0.7%
Berovo 91 0.7%
Sveti Nikole 81 0.4%
Petrovec 75 0.9%
Gradsko 71 1.9%
Bogdanci 54 0.6%
Demir Hisar 35 0.4%
Gevgelija 31 0.1%
Novaci 27 0.8%
Ilinden 17 0.1%
Kratovo 8 0.1%
Probištip 6 <0.1%
Jegunovce 4 <0.1%
Brvenica 2 <0.1%
Debarca 2 <0.1%
Kriva Palanka 2 <0.1%
Želino 2 <0.1%
Zelenikovo 1 <0.1%

Diaspora[]

Since the 1960s, Macedonia Turks have migrated to several Western European countries. For example, there is approximately 5,000 Macedonian Turks in Sweden; around 90% (or 4,500) live in Malmö.[15] In 1973 they formed the Turkish-Swedish KSF Prespa Birlik football club.[15] There are also Turkish Macedonian communities in other European countries, including Austria,[16] Belgium,[17] Czech Republic,[16] Germany[18][16] Italy,[16] the Netherlands,[19] Slovakia,[16] and Switzerland.[18]

In addition, Turkish Macedonian communities have also been formed in North America. In 1960, the Macedonian Patriotic Organization reported that a handful of Turkish Macedonians in the United States "have expressed solidarity with the M.P.O.'s aims, and have made contributions to its financial needs."[20]

National day[]

The Turks in Macedonia also have an own national day, the Day of Education in Turkish Language. By a decision of the Government of the Republic of Macedonia in 2007, December 21 became a national and non-working day for the Turkish community in the country.[21]

Media[]

There are both radio and television broadcasts in Turkish.[22] Since 1945, Macedonian Radio-Television transmits one hour daily Turkish television programs and four and a half hours of Turkish radio programs.[23] Furthermore, the newspaper Birlik is published in Turkish three times a week.[23]

Politics[]

The Turks have 3 political parties in North Macedonia: (Türk Demokratik Partisi - TDP), (Türk Hareket Partisi - THP) and (Türk Millî Birlik Hareketi - TMBH). There is also the Union of Turkish NGOs in Republic of Macedonia (Makedonya Türk Sivil Toplum Teşkilatlar Birliği - MATÜSİTEB).[24]

The first political party of the Turks in Macedonia is the Turkish Democratic Party (TDP). Because of political and economic changes in Macedonia, the Turks, like other communities, have decided to get organized in order to protect and develop their political rights. As a result, a political association named the Turkish Democratic Union was established on 1 July 1990. The association identified its major goal to defend national and moral interests of the Turks in Macedonia and launched activities in this direction. Such developments allowed the Turks to transform their association into a political party. The transformation was completed on 27 June 1992, when the Turkish Democratic Union was renamed the Turkish Democratic Party at the second extraordinary congress under the leadership Avni Engüllü in Skopje. Since its establishment, TDP has been protecting the rights and interests of Turks in Macedonia.[24]

Moreover, several people of Turkish origin serve in high-ranking levels of Macedonian politics. Furkan Çako from the Turkish Democratic Party (TDP) serves as Minister without Portfolio in the Macedonian government. In the parliament, the Turks are represented by , TDP leader, and (THP). In addition, , an ethnic Turk, is a member of the .[24]

Education[]

The first school in Turkish language in Macedonia was opened in 1944.[25] As of 2008 there were over 60 schools that offered lessons in Turkish. Turks have the right of education in Turkish for four years in East Macedonia. There are 264 teachers in these schools. There are gymnasiums in Gostivar and Centar Župa and a technical college in Tetovo where students are trained in Turkish. Few quota is spared for Turkish students at universities in Skopje and Bitola. There are also private Turkish schools established by Turkish entrepreneurs. Macedonian Turks show great interest in these schools.

Notable people[]

See also: List of Macedonian Turks

See also[]

References[]

  1. ^ a b c d Republic of Macedonia State Statistical Office 2005, 34.
  2. ^ a b c Knowlton 2005, 66.
  3. ^ Abrahams 1996, 53.
  4. ^ Skutsch, Carl (7 November 2013). Encyclopedia of the World's Minorities. Routledge. ISBN 9781135193881. Retrieved 19 August 2017 – via Google Books.
  5. ^ Evans 2010, 11.
  6. ^ "Census of population and dwellings in Macedonia 2002" (PDF). p. 326. Retrieved 1 November 2013.
  7. ^ [1] ATATÜRK'ÜN BABA SOYU (KIZIL OĞUZ veya KOCACIK YÖRÜKLERİ)
  8. ^ "Memorial house of Ataturk in Kodžadžik". Archived from the original on 2016-03-06. Retrieved 2019-09-23.
  9. ^ a b Ortakovski 2001, 26.
  10. ^ Der Islam im Spiegel zeitgenössischer Literatur der islamischen Welt, Johann Christoph Bürge, page 89, 1985
  11. ^ Muslim Identity and the Balkan State, Hugh Poulton,Suha Taji-Farouki, page 96-97, 1997
  12. ^ Minahan 1998, 173.
  13. ^ Abrahams 1996, 54.
  14. ^ Nielsen, Akgonul & Alibasic 2009, 221.
  15. ^ a b Widding, Lars. "Historik". KSF Prespa Birlik. Archived from the original on 20 July 2021. Retrieved 17 November 2020.
  16. ^ a b c d e Kuzey Makedonya'daki Nüfus Sayımına Davet: Sonuçlar, Kuzey Makedonya'nın Kurucu Unsuru Türklerin Tapusudur, Tamga Türk, 2021, archived from the original on 20 July 2021, retrieved 21 May 2021, Furkan Çako, yurt dışında yaşayan Makedonya Türklerini, ülkedeki nüfus sayımına katılmaya ve kendilerini Türk olarak kaydettirmeye çağırdı. Diplomatımız, Twitter hesabından yaptığı çağrıda şu ifadeleri kullandı: Ülkemizde devam eden #NüfusSayımı2021 sürecine katılmak ve kaydınızı #Türk olarak gerçekleştirmek için yurtdışında yaşayan ve Türkiye, Slovakya, Çek Cumhuriyeti, Almanya, Avusturya, İsviçre, İtalya ve İsveç'te bulunan vatandaşlarımız aşağıdaki bilgilerden yararlanabilirler.
  17. ^ Rumeli Türkleri Brüksel'de Bir Araya Geldi, CHA Haberler, 2012, retrieved 9 May 2021
  18. ^ a b Turan, Ömer (2002), "Makedonya'da Türk Varlığı Ve Kültürü", Bilig Türk Dünyası Sosyal Bilimler Dergis, 3 (21–33): 23
  19. ^ Sag, Armand (2016), "De destinteresse in Nederland", Platform Dergisi (December 2016): 59, Officieel zijn ze met bijna 500.000 mensen aanwezig in Nederland, meer omdat Turken uit Bulgarije..., Griekenland..., Cyprus..., Macedonie... en bijvoorbeeld Turken die geen Turkse ntionaliteit meer habben of Turken uit Belgie en Duitsland die zich nu gevestigd hebben in Nederland. Hiermee zouden er bijna driekwart miljon tot een miljoen Turken in Nederland wonen.
  20. ^ Macedonians in North America: An Outline, Macedonian Patriotic Organization, 1960, p. 9
  21. ^ "Премиерот Никола Груевски во работна посета на Република Италија". Влада на Република Македонија. Retrieved 19 August 2017.
  22. ^ Knowlton 2005, 107.
  23. ^ a b Ortakovski 2001, 32.
  24. ^ a b c "Turks in Macedonia: current situation". The Politicon. The Politicon. 25 May 2016. Retrieved 25 May 2016.
  25. ^ "Contact Support". www.mia.com.mk. Retrieved 19 August 2017.

Bibliography[]

Further reading[]

  • Mandaci, Nazif (April 2007), "Turks of Macedonia: The Travails of the "Smaller" Minority", Journal of Muslim Minority Affairs, 27 (1): 5–24, doi:10.1080/13602000701308798, S2CID 144956861.
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