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The Bulgars, a Central Asian Turkic tribe, merged with the local Slavic inhabitants in the late 7th century to form the first Bulgarian state. In succeeding centuries, Bulgaria struggled with the Byzantine Empire to assert its place in the Balkans, but by the end of the 14th century the country was overrun by the Ottoman Turks. Northern Bulgaria attained autonomy in 1878 and all of Bulgaria became independent in 1908. Having fought on the losing side in both World Wars, Bulgaria fell within the Soviet sphere of influence and became a People's Republic in 1946. Communist domination ended in 1990, when Bulgaria held its first multiparty election since World War II and began the contentious process of moving toward political democracy and a market economy while combating inflation, unemployment, corruption, and crime. Today, reforms and democratization keep Bulgaria on a path toward eventual integration into the EU. The country joined NATO in 2004. -- The CIA World Factbook: Bulgaria Area of Bulgaria: 110,910 sq km slightly larger than Tennessee Population of Bulgaria: 7,517,973 July 2004 estimate Languages of Bulgaria: Bulgarian secondary languages closely correspond to ethnic breakdown Bulgaria Capital: Sofia
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The New York Times, May 11, 1879:THE PRINCIPALITY OF BULGARIA.The new State, with careful and judicious teachings, may grow up a comely and useful member of the family of civilized nations. Its enfrancisement from a servitude that has lasted for more than five ages is one of the direct results of the Berlin treaty. Until annexed to the Kingdom of Hungary in the middle of the fourteenth century, by the Magyars, who were driven out of it and across the Danube forty years later by the irresistable Turks, Bulgaria had been an independent State for nearly 200 years, and Tirnova was its capital, the seat of its Government, and the residence of its Kniazi or Emperors, as they proudly styled themselves. The Bulgarians were a fierce and warlike race of fighting peasants; they populated a country flowing with milk and honey, eagerly coveted by their rapacious neighbors. Between Hungary and Turkey their position was a terrible one, but they bravely defended themselves against invasion after invasion, now sweeping down upon them from the north-west, now bursting through their south-eastern bounaries in irresistable waves of Asiatic soldiery. At last they succumbed and lapsed into utter serfdom. Their bondage to the Osmanli alone has lasted without interruption, save of a transitory character, from the year 1396 down to the conclusion of the Russo-Turkish campaign, a little over one year ago. The world had well-nigh forgotten that such a State as the Bulgarian Empire ever enjoyed an independent existence, or had the right to boast of a national history. The new Constitution of thie Principality is a careful and elaborate compilation of the organic enactments of Prussian, Austrian, and Belgian Parliaments. For statutes especially calculated to satisfy local requirements and deal with local peculiarities, they have dexteriously skimmed the cream off the Servian and Roumanian Constitutions. The relations between Prince and Parliament, between the Cabinet and the people, have been accurately defined, and no fewer than 170 articles are deemed necessary by Bulgaria's advisers for the exposition of the elementary and fundamental principles upon which she is expected to raise an elaborate superstructure of legislation, organization, and administration. One article decrees that "the person fo the Prince is sacred and inviolable;" but a similar clause in the Servian Constitution did not save the amiable and patriotic Michael Obrenovich from being barbarously slaughtered in his own park of Topchiderch by certain of his subjects. Another article give the Prince authority to pardon crimes except in the case of treacherous or dishonest Ministers, who are to be impeached; but the right of amnesty is vested cojointly in the Prince and the National Assembly. Religious liberty is also accorded to all residents in the Principality, native or foreign, but no person is permitted to evade the laws by any special profession of faith. But perhaps the most important clause in the Constitution is Article LXXIX. This provides that the National Assembly shall consist entirely of representatives elected by the people, one member for every 10,000 inhabitants, counting both sexes, in the Principality. The representatives shall be elected for three years, and any Bulgarian citizen, over 30 years of age, is eligible as a candidate for the National Legislature. The minimum age for voters in the Principality is fixed at 25. In order to guard against the tendency of orthodox Slavs to carve their political views upon one another's bodies with yataghans, dirks, and other lethal accessories of their picturesque national dress, it is prescribed in Article XCV. that "no arms are allowed on the premises where the Assembly sits;" and by Article LXXVI., declaring that "Bulgarians have the right to assemble quietly, without arms, for discussing all matters, without asking the permission of any one." In brief, it may be stated that the Constitution is solid and complete, and every administrative and functional contingency is by it recited and provided for. The first steps of Bulgarians in the path of self-government will be watched with curious interest. On the one side, there are those carefully watching the opportunity to take advantage of any mistakes into which the Bulgarians may fall; on the other, their failure would be a cause of secret rejoicing. They have temptations to avoid and obstacles to surmount of no ordinary kind, the nature of which will occur to any one who has closely followed the course of events during the last three years. It would be unfair to judge the Bulgarians as a people by the past, hazardous to attempt to forecast their immediate future. By the treaty of Berlin they have entered into possession of their national existence and been declared free, but until the influence of the powers which has been so long exercised over them is entirely and absolutely withdrawn, Bulgaria will not have entered into the complete enjoyment of its newly-acquired inheiritance. |
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