Rafał Woźnica

This research examines the foreign policy of the Republic of Turkey towards the Balkan region during the Cold War. The article aims to elucidate the fundamental principles underpinning Turkey’s approach to the region within the context of the bipolar international system. With the onset of the Cold War, the Balkan Peninsula found itself bifurcated into two blocs, reflecting the reconfigured international order. Consequently, segments of the Balkan states fell under Soviet sway. While Turkey had previously maintained a stance of active neutrality during the Second World War, there was a swift shift in its foreign policy. Driven by security imperatives and apprehensions regarding the Soviet threat to its territorial integrity, Turkey aligned itself with the Western bloc. This article seeks to address the nature of Turkey’s policy towards the Balkan nations that were part of the opposing political and military bloc and the factors influencing its relations with these countries.

The article raises the issue of the functioning of those political parties which aspire to the role of the representatives of minorities in Bulgaria and in the Republic of Macedonia. In particular, whether the functioning of these parties is conducive to the eff ective integration of these groups into public life has been examined. The research showed that the role and the importance of a minority group in the system of state institutions is primarily determined by its size. Consequently, the issues related to the fi ght for the interests of minorities are fully monopolized by the parties of the Albanians (in Macedonia) and the representative of the Turkish community (in Bulgaria). This situation can cause tensions between the minorities.

The current refugee crisis faces Bulgaria the clash between European values and humanity and fears of loss of security and violation of these very values. Data suggest that the rates of illegal migration through Bulgaria are relatively low, and the impact of refugee crisis on Bulgarian politics and society is relatively low (in comparision with other South and South-East Europe states). Bulgarian government undertook preventive measures to guard Bulgarian southern border (buill border fence, sent reinforcements from the Bulgarian Army), but as an external border of the UE, Bulgaria is tremendously interested in the adoption of a unifed all-European approach for a solidarity based solution of the problem.