Petrova Niva, Bulgaria - Every summer, Bulgarian history returns to the memorable events of 1903, when the thirst for freedom ignited in the hearts of thousands of Bulgarians. This year, to commemorate the 122nd anniversary of the Ilinden-Preobrazhenie Uprising, state and public figures gathered in the historical area of Petrova Niva to pay tribute to the self-sacrifice of their ancestors.
A central figure in the celebrations was the Speaker of the National Assembly, Natalia Kiselova, who, in her speech, emphasized the enduring significance of the uprising.
The self-sacrifice of the participants in the Ilinden-Preobrazhenie Uprising remains in Bulgarian history as a symbol of resistance, of the struggle for freedom that inspires future generations to fight against oppression, she stated, recalling the spiritual connection between the past and the present.
The Historical Spark of 1903
The Speaker of Parliament recalled the historical circumstances that led to the outbreak of the rebellion. During the hot summer of 1903, on the great Christian holidays of Ilinden, Preobrazhenie, and Krastovden, military detachments were formed in Macedonia and Thrace. According to Kiselova, their goal was much more than a simple revolutionary struggle. They did not just aim to implement Article 23 of the Treaty of Berlin, which declaratively granted political autonomy to these lands. Instead, their actions were dictated by deeply rooted ideals of freedom and the cherished dream of national unification with their homeland.
In her address, Natalia Kiselova criticized the half-hearted decisions of the Great Powers, which, with the Treaty of Berlin in 1878, dismembered the Bulgarian lands, leaving thousands of Bulgarians under foreign rule. It was this injustice, she said, that motivated the ancestors to reject the authority of the Ottoman Empire and fight for unification.
The Culmination: The Strandzha Republic
After the fateful decisions of the Thessaloniki Congress, which called for a mass uprising, the Strandzha region became the center of resistance. Here, in the area of Petrova Niva, the historical congress of the Internal Macedonian-Adrianople Revolutionary Organization (IMARO) was held. After heated debates, the participants unanimously adopted a plan for the uprising and formed a rebel headquarters. This decisive moment marked the beginning of the events that changed the course of history in the region.
The mass character of the uprising led to quick and significant successes. In the first days after the armed clashes, large territories in Adrianople Thrace and Strandzha, predominantly inhabited by Bulgarians, were liberated from Ottoman rule. On these liberated lands, the so-called Strandzha Republic was proclaimed – one of the brightest symbols of Bulgarian resistance. Kiselova described this act as
the most definitive declaration of the rejection of the sultan's authority.
Although the existence of the republic was short – less than a month – its symbolic charge remains forever in Bulgarian history. The uprising was brutally crushed by Ottoman troops, and the territories were devastated, but even after the defeat, the rebels did not abandon their people. They continued to protect the civilian population, who retreated toward the free Bulgarian state.
Tribute and Legacy
At the end of her speech, Natalia Kiselova paid eternal tribute to the fallen, defining them as heroes of
the indigenous Strandzha Republic.
The celebrations in Petrova Niva were held under the patronage of President Rumen Radev. Among the officials present at the event were:
- Deputy Prime Minister Atanas Zafirov
- Metropolitan Arseniy of Sliven
- Chairman of the Thracian Societies in Bulgaria Krasimir Premyanov
- representatives of the Consulate General of the Republic of Bulgaria in Istanbul
- members of parliament
- mayors and other public figures.
Their presence underscores the significance of the Ilinden-Preobrazhenie Uprising as an event that continues to unite the Bulgarian nation in honoring its heroes.