For the Macedonian Bulgarians in Istanbul (1913 – 1989)

After the establishment of the independent Bulgarian state, the Bulgarian colony in Istanbul was composed mainly of those who came from Macedonia. 

During the different periods of Bulgarian history the colony numbered from 2000 to 5000 people. Throughout the period, its guild character was preserved - gardeners, bakers, dairies, shoemakers. The colony was politically disoriented and depended entirely on Turkish rule and temporary Bulgarian-Turkish relations. Some of the settlers were under the influence of several Macedonian Bulgarian organizations. 

They had a very clearly expressed and preserved Bulgarian national self-consciousness. After 1944 until today, the Bulgarian authorities have considered the colony in Istanbul as a Bulgarian diaspora in Turkey, a factor for the preservation of the remaining Bulgarian exarchate properties and an important part of the Bulgarian-Turkish diplomatic relations.