From: lb@cs.man.ac.uk (Luben Boyanov)
Newsgroups: soc.culture.bulgaria
Subject: Re: Sqedinenieto Sept. 06, 1885
Date: 7 Sep 92 11:08:38 GMT
Organization: Dept Computer Science, University of Manchester, U.K.

In article <92250.131121ANTHC@CUNYVM.BITNET> ANTHC@CUNYVM.BITNET writes:
>Hi:
>   Nobody again mentioned the anniversary of the Unification of Bulgaria
>
>on September 06, 1885.

Don't be so sure. Maybe some did :-).

>                So I think it is good to take some names back from
>
>"The epopeya na zabravenite" and to honour them and to think what today is
>
>common and what is different from Sept. 06, 1885.

Good idea.

>Bulgaria proof his will to be part of Europe at that time and when the time
>
>came to act, the world supported the action.

If we have to face the truth, both the world and ... Bulgaria were surprised
from this action. Prince Al. Batember didn't have any idea for the 'revolt'
and shortly before the coup in Plovdiv, he gave his sincere assurances to
the Russians (? Gierse?) that nothing will happen ... Europe was even more
surprised. As a matter of (another curious) fact Russia was against the
Union and ... England supported it ...

>                                             Great interest were employed
>
>and great dangers might be expected but the heros of the Unification knew
>
>that they will be have the support of all Bulgarians and while they don't
>
>hurt the interests of the West they had great chances of success.

The coup had no serious initial preparations and was very spontaneous and
... lucky. Maybe this is the only heroic acts on such a scale and with such
significance,  which was accomplished virtually without preparation. The
luck was in favour of the Bulgarians this time :-).

>                  Knyaz Aleksander didn't hessitate and join Podpolkovnik
>
>Sava Mutkurov on the next day in Plovdiv.

Sorry, but that's not true. Alexander not only hesitated but didn't want at
all to go to Plovdiv. However, the words of the young political genius
Stambolov (who was the leader of the Parliament at that time) were quite
clear: "The Union is made - the revolt is accomplished fact, past recall,
and the time for hesitation is gone by. Two roads lie before your Highness:
the one to Plovdiv, and as far further as God may lead; the other to
Sistova, the Danube, and Darmstadt [from where Alexander is]. I counsel you
to take the crown the nation offers you". This time the young prince was
decisive and chose the road to Plovdiv.

>  Today we are in very mush simmilar situation.  Part of Bulgaria separated
>
>from the country by act of the Western countries is at the position of
>
>Eastern Rumelia in 1885.

Which parts? All territories populated with Bulgarians from the past have no
longer population with Bulgarian consciousness. It's irrelevant if we like
this or not, but it's a fact.

>  What is common and what is different from then?

The common is the chaos left by an old fashioned regime. Another common
feature is the lack of people educated in a modern way and the lack of
modern thinking. The different thing is that the human and economic
potential is far bigger now and provided a modern and prudent rule happens
in Bulgaria, the gap with other developing nations can be narrowed in less
time. Alas, the other different matter is that no "Stambolov" is in
sight.

>  First of all there is no place in the world where the Bulgarians are
>
>suffering more prosecutions and severe exploatation only for the fact
>
>of being Bulgaria.  This is well known around the world.

That's far from typical for Bulgaria. It's the same for many other
countries.

>  Paradise for foreigners, but nightmare for ethnic Bulgarians.  How many
>
>limitations have to suffer Bulgarians in Bulgaria for the mere fact of being
>
>Bulgarians? 

Hey, what are you talking about? Just make a quick comparisson with the
ex-Soviet Union where the Russian people were treated in a far worse
fashion and the discrimination there was in an order of magnitude worse. Be
realistic. Why do you want to single out BG for everything bad. If you
want to find the bad in BG only, you will. If you want to be real - there
is/was no such thing as "BG is/was the only contry in which ..."

>      Remember the ban of western music, castofons, jeans, video ets.

Not in the 80-ies. Don't you know that the Russians comming to BG, felt
as "being in the West"? Many things which you say are truth, but not for
the entire period before 1989. The last decade or so was far more "relaxed"
than the 50ies and 60ies. You can't deny that. I understand your
frustration and bad memories from Bulgaria but I bet that most of the
Bulgarians on the net who lived there in the late 70ies and during the last
decade, will confirm that, however limited it was, there was some openess.

>   In August 1989 drunk milicioner enter the home of my friend, without
surch
[nasty episode deleted]

Alas, there were such things. I can tell you far worse episodes :-(.
However, it was most interesting for me to discover, that the free society
in the West is not immunised from similar events. Nobody argues about the
lack of real liberties of the people in pre-1989 Bulgaria but ... 

>   No wonder why the Macedonisns are not excited of unification with Bulgaria

Why should they be excited? And who wants such unification? Nobody.
Macedonians don't feel Bulgarians, hence they are not. Why should they
unite with BG? Even in the past, when they felt Bulgarian, the majority
there wanted independent Macedonia. One of the IMRO's famous phrases was
"One nation in 2 sates". Maybe if Bulgaria becomes a very well developed
country, the real Macedonian history will emerge easier than now, but this
is irrelevant. Bulgaria has so many problem of it's own that trying to
solve somebody's else problems is ridiculous. Let us live in peace and
understanding with the Macedonians, let us sing the songs we both know, and
both consider "ours",  let us both give tribute to Goce Delchev and
Ilinden, let us be free to visit Delchev's grave and the ancient Bulgarian
capital Ohrid - that's enough.

>today and are looking for support everywhere else but not in Bulgaria.

That's a pity, indeed :-(

>   Eventually they might decide to stay in Yugoslavia.

That's their problem.

>   Where are today Podpolkovnik Sava Mutkurov, Capitan Rajcho, Knyaz Aleksander

Can only tell you where the King is :-) (still not in BG).

But let us remember once again the glorious 6th of September. Be more
optimistic. Otherwise - nothing can be achieved. Do you know what Pencho
Slaveikov has said (something like this) - "V Bulgaria e nai-veroiatno da
stane tova, koeto ne e za viarvane". Cute, isn't it?

Regards to everybody, incl. the anonymous contributor

Luben
Newsgroups: soc.culture.bulgaria