The Reflection of the Rumelia Migration During the 1877-1878 Ottoman-Russian War on the Parliament

Abstract

This article examines how the members of parliament, which was established following the proclamation of the 1876 Constitution, considered the migration from Rumelia and the refugee problem both caused by the Russo-Ottoman War of 1877-78. The discussions and discourses on the issue of refugees that took place between March 19, 1877 and February 14, 1878, the dates for parliament's inauguration and suspension respectively, shed light on the political and social thinking of the Ottoman members of parliament. Moreover, it aims to demonstrate what kind of efforts the Ottoman parliamentarians showed for the case of Rumelian refugees and how they dealt with this issue in their heated debates. As source material it utilizes the speeches of the deputies in the parliament.