Abstract
One Hundred Years of Solitude: Turks in Kosovo From Empire to Minority
The Balkans are an important geography for Turks. The Turkish presence in the region is quite old. The permanent relations in this place are the Ottoman establishment. But, the great troubles that started with the Ottoman withdrawal from the region after the Balkan wars resulted in immigration. A dark period begins for Turkish and Turkish people. The Turks, who acquired many rights together with the Yugoslavia Federation, which was established after World War II, became a founding element with the 1974 Constitution. Turkish gains official language status. State affairs, education, press-publication and everyday life were conducted in Turkish. The fire that started in the Balkans with the disintegration of the Yugoslavia Federation has also leaped to Kosovo. NATO interferes to the region. After the war, a new administration is established. In 2008 Kosovo declares its independence .The new Constitution was accepted the same year. Turks living in this region were also affected from this.
In this study, we will try to discuss how the Turks have transformed from Empire to a minority through the changes they have experienced in social, political, economic and legal spheres.
Keywords
Balkans, Kosovo, Minority, Turkish Presence, Turkish.
