The leader of Bulgaria’s ethnic Turkish party Movement for Rights and Freedoms (DPS), Ahmed Dogan, accused the center-right GERB cabinet of attempting to criminalize the movement.

“The Citizens for European Development of Bulgaria (GERB) part is hunting all local DPS representatives and aims at starting court cases that would stir discontent, but these efforts that are useless and only work in favor of DPS,” Dogan told reporters Saturday, commenting on Prosecutor’s probes against DPS members.

The ethnic Turkish leader attended the traditional meeting, held at the site in northeastern Bulgaria, known as “Demir Baba Tekke.” The meeting is dedicated to the anniversary of the so-called “May Events” when ethnic Turks rallied peacefully demanding the reinstatement of their native Muslim names replaced during the assimilation campaign of the former Communist regime known as the Revival Process.

Dogan, however, declined to offer many comments, simply reiterating recent statements that Bulgaria cannot function without DPS, and pointing out the cabinet is in a bind over the global economic crisis combined with their delayed and inadequate actions.

The meeting was attended by other high-ranking party functionaries, who addressed the crowd mainly saying the new government is violating rights and freedoms in the country, threatening democracy and all stressing the need to counter these attempts.

Speakers at the meeting, held under the motto: “Democracy and Security Are Impossible without Rights and Freedoms,” included the Members of the Parliament, Remzi Osman and Hasan Ademov, the European MP, Metin Kazak, the Mayor of Kardzhali, Hasan Azis, who was recently charged by the Prosecutor's office with committing fraud with municipal property, and the Mayor of Garmen, Ahmed Bashev, among others.