BULGARIA: HISTORY AND POSTCOI^MUNiST TRANSITION A Master’s Thesis by ADEMIZGO Department of International Relations Bltkent University Ankara July 2005 To My Wife, Gül BULGARIA: fflSTORY AND POSTCOMMUNIST TRANSITION The Institute of Economics and Social Sciences of Bilkent University by ADEM iZGU In Partial Fulfilment o f the Requirements for the Degree of MASTER OF ARTS m THE DEPARTMENT OF INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS BlLKENT UNIVERSITY ANKARA July 2005 ь е (Л . і9Ц Д О 5 Ь 092823 I certify that I have read this thesis and have found that it is fully adequate, in scope and in quality, as a thesis for the degree of Master of Arts in International Relations. Asst. Prof Nur Bilge Criss Thesis Supervisor I certify that I have read this thesis and have found that it is fully adequate, in scope and in quality, as a thesis for the degree of Master of Arts in International Relations. Asst. Prof Hasan Unal Examining Committee Member I certify that I have read this thesis and have found that it is fully adequate, in scope and in qualitTr^s a thesis for the degree of Master of Arts in International Relations. Asst. Prof Emef0sman?avusoglu Examining Committee Member Approval of the Institute of Economics and Social Sciences Prof Dr. Erdal Erel Director ABSTRACT BULGARIA: fflSTORY AND POSTCOMMUNIST TRANSITION izgii, Adem M.A., Department of International Relations Supervisor: Asst. Prof. Dr. Nur Bilge Criss July 2005 This thesis analyses establishment and transition of Bulgaria in chronological order, starting from the emergence of an independent Bulgarian kingdom in the Balkans to modem Bulgaria, mainly elabor^ing changes in the social-political, economic and foreign policy dimensions. The thesis aims to give a general perspective of today’s developing democratic Bulgaria, shedding light on critical turning points in history, the tragedies of Bulgaria in the conflictual environment of the Balkans, and recent events, which flindamentally changed the direction, and nature of the cotmtry. This study claims that the transition has been extraordinary and exemplary for many reasons including the absence of ethnic unrest, rapid economic developments and peaceful active foreign policy. Moreover, the thesis points out the tolerant stmcture of Ottoman governance, and the peaceful, acquiescent, and faithful character of the Turkish minority, explaining their important role in the peaceful transition of the country. Keywords: Bulgaria, History, Social Transition, Political Transition, Minorities, Economic Transition, Foreign Policy Transition. m ÖZET BULGARİSTAN: TARİHİ VE KOMÜNİZM SONRASI DEĞİŞİM İzgü, Adem Yüksek Lisans, Uluslararası İlişkiler Bölümü Tez Yöneticisi: Asst. Prof. Dr. Nur Bilge Criss Temmuz 2005 Bu tez, Balkanlar’da bağımsız bir Bulgar kraUığmm ortaya çıkmasmdan modem Bulgaristan’a kadar, temel olarak sosyal-politik, ekonomik ve dış politika boyutunu ele alarak Bulgaristan’m kuruluşu ve değişimini incelemektedir. Bu tez, tarihteki önemli dönüş noktalarına, çatışmak Balkan ortammdaki Bulgaristan’m trajedilerine ve yakm geçmişte ülkenin yönünü ve doğasım kökünden değiştiren olaylara ışık tutarak, bugünün gelişen demokratik Bulgaristan’ınm genel bir perspektifini vermeyi amaçlamaktadır. Bu çalışma, etnik çatışmanm olmaması, hızh ekonomik gelişme ve barışçı aktif politikası sebebiyle ülkenin dönüşümünün sıra dışı ve örnek bir nitelik taşıdığı tezini savunmaktadır. Ayrıca tez, Osmanh yönetiminin hoşgörülü yapısını, ülkenin banş içindeki değişimini açıklayarak Türk azınhğm banşçı, itaatkar ve sadık karakterini vurgulamaktadır. Anahtar Kelimeler: Bulgaristan, Tarih, Sosyal Değişim, Politik Değişim, Ekonomik Değişim, Dış Politika Değişimi. IV ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Above all, I am very indebted to the Turkish Ground Forces for giving me such an imprecedented opportunity to pursue my career. I am also grateilil to the academic staff of Bilkent University for sharing their unique knowledge throughout my two-year academic tenure in and out of class. I would like to express my special thanks to my supervisor Professor Nur Bilge Criss whose invaluable guidance, encouragement and immense scope of knowledge is the cornerstone of this study. I would like to thank to all my classmates and academic staff for their contribution throughout the completion of this thesis. Finally, I am deeply grateful to my wife. Gül İzgü for her sustained patience, support, and love. TABLE OF CONTENTS ABSTRACT.......................................................................................................................... iii Ö ZET......................................................................................................................................iv ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS.................................................................................................v TABLE OF CONTENTS.^.................................................................................................vi LIST OF TABLES..............................................................................................................viii LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS.............................................................................................ix MAP OF BULGARIA......................................................................................................... xi INTRODUCTION................................................................................................................. 1 CHAPTER 1 ........................................................................................................................... 5 A SHORT HISTORY OF BULGARIA.............................................................................5 1.1. Origins o f Bulgarians................................................................................................5 1.2. Emergence of Nationalism and Liberation Efforts of Bulgarians...................... 8 1.3. The Balkan Wars...................................................................................................... 12 1.4. World War I ............................................... 14 1.5. World W a rn .............................................................................................................16 1.6. Communist R ule...................................................................................................... 18 CHAPTER I I ........................................................................................................................29 THE SOCIAL AND POLITICAL TRANSITION OF BULGARIA...........................29 2.LG eneral.......................................................................................................................29 2.2.Institutional Inefficiency......................................................................................... 35 2.3. The Absence o f Civil Society..............................................................................36 2.4. Majority-Minority Relations and Problems......................................................... 37 2.4.1. Ethnic Turks in Bulgaria................................................................................. 40 2.4.2. Pomaks in Bulgaria.......................................................................................46 2.4.3. Gypsies in Bulgaria.........................................................................................47 2.4.4. MRF and its Contributions to Democracy in Bulgaria.............................50 2.5. Political and Social Situation Today.................................................................. 54 CHAPTER m .......................................................................................................................57 THE ECONOMIC TRANSITION OF BULGARIA......................................... 57 3.1. The Interwar Period................................................................................................. 57 3.2. Bulgaria Under Communist Rule........................................................................ 59 3.3. The End of Communist Regime......................................................................... 64 3.4. Liberalisation Without Permanent Stabilisation (1991-1994)...........................66 3.5. Partial Reversal With the Socialist Government (1995-1996)....................... 69 3.6. Liberalisation and Unexpected Stabilisation (1997-1999)................................ 73 CHAPTER IV.......................................................................................................................79 REGIONAL POLICIES AND INTERNATIONAL...................................................... 79 RELATIONS OF BULGARIA......................................................................................... 79 4.1. General....................................................................................................................79 4.2. Foreign Policy Approach and International Relations During the Communist Era......................................................................................................................................80 4.3. Dramatic Changes o f the 1980s and Collapse o f Communism.........................85 VI 4.4. A Fundamental Modification of Foreign Policy: The 1990-1996 Period........ 87 4.5. Proactive Policy and Mdltilateralism: The Post 1997 Period...........................93 CONCLUSION................................................................................................................... 98 SELECT BIBLIOGRAPHY............................................................................................101