TURKS IN SOUTH DOBDRUDJA UNDER ROMANIAN ADMINISTRATION. HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE AND LAND REFORM (1918-1940)

Abstract

After the Second Balkan War, Romania incorporated South Dobruja in its borders. Since the majority of the population consisted of Turks and Bulgarians, the authorities in Bucharest have made efforts to integrate this region into Romania. An important issue followed by Romanian administrators was the property system of the region. The process of harmonizing property laws that were applied until 1913 with Romanian laws had significant effects on the communities living in the region and caused controversy.

Considering that most of the Turks and Tatars lived in villages and engaged in agriculture, the property issue directly affected them. After South Dobrudja was included in the borders of Romania, the new administration did not deal with the resolution of old abuses and tried to ensure that the Bulgarians did not control economic life in the new lands. Their main goal was to change the population ratio. The Romanian authorities needed land for their extensive colonization program. As a result, many Turks and Tatars have found in emigration the solution for their problems. In addition to unpublished documents to clarify the subject, we also applied to newspapers and magazines of the time.