Serbian - Bulgarian Alliance for the Occupation of the Albanian Lands

Abstract

In the beginning of the second decade of the XX century, the Ottoman Empire was immersed in a quite difficult situation. The following situation incited Serbia and Bulgaria to consider on what they could gain upon backtrack of the centuries long invader from the European lands. Serbia was interested to find a common ground with Bulgaria to attain territories upon the expulsion of Turkey from Europe. Both parties were interested to fight Turkey and annex the occupied lands. In order not to be at any variance in the future, it was priory decided to separate lands on mutual agreement. Serbian and Bulgarian parties agreed to strike a common bargain, which at the core had the protection of the alliance and mutual guarantee of the territorial integrity. The article II emphasizes: “Serbia recognizes the right of Bulgaria over the territories in the east of Rodopeve and the river Strum, while Bulgaria recognizes the right of Serbia over the territories in the north and in the east of Sharr Mountains. Concerning the territories among SharrMountains, Rodop, Archipelagoes and the Oher Lake, in case both parties shall state that in those territories the special autonomy shall not be possible, having into regard the Serb population interests as well as those of Bulgarian … shall be acted based on the following statements: Serbia is obliged to not request anything beyond the noted line on the attached map which starts from the Turkish-Bulgarian border with Maja e Golemit (in the north of KrivaPallanka) and extending generally towards south-west up to the Oher lake, by passing across the hilltop of Kitka. Keywords: Alliance, Ottoman Empire, Kosovo Vilajet, Serbia, Bulgaria, Macedonia, SharrMountains and Adriatic Sea.