site.btaSeptember 7, 1940: Under Treaty of Craiova, Romania Cedes Southern Dobrudzha Back to Bulgaria

Eighty-five years ago on Sunday, Southern Dobrudzha was restored to Bulgaria under a treaty Bulgaria and Romania signed in Craiova. Here is what happened before, during and after that momentous event in the modern history of both countries and of the Balkans and Europe at large, illustrated by excerpts from BTA's news bulletins of that period (in italics):

672-680 CE: In present-day Dobrudzha (then Scythia Minor, a part of the Byzantine Empire), a Proto-Bulgarian horde, led by Khan Asparuh, finds refuge and leagues up with Slav tribes to establish the First Bulgarian Empire south of the Danube. Ever since, the region has been an integral part of the Bulgarian ethno-territorial, historical and cultural community.

February 19/March 3, 1878: The Act of the Preliminaries of Peace between Russia and the Ottoman Empire, signed at San Stefano, gives rise to the Dobrudzha Question, leaving the 15,566 sq km northern part of the region enclosed between the lowermost reaches of the River Danube and the Black Sea outside the territory of the projected Bulgarian principality. Northern Dobrudzha is assigned to Russia in exchange for a portion of the Ottoman Empire's war reparations. In turn, Russia cedes that territory to Romania (despite its reluctance to accept it and despite the region's predominantly Bulgarian identity) in compensation for Russia's reannexation of Southern Bessarabia.

July 1/13, 1878: The Treaty of Berlin confirms this territorial exchange and extends the Romanian section to the present-day land border with Bulgaria, which is allowed to keep a 7,696 sq km Southern Dobrudzha.

September 5, 1902: In Mangalia, a Bulgarian-Romanian Mixed Commission signs a protocol modifying the Berlin Treaty border between the two countries.

April 26/May 9, 1913: A bilateral protocol is signed in St Petersburg under which Bulgaria, bowing to strong diplomatic pressure from Russia and Austria-Hungary, concedes to Romania Silistra and a zone of some 3 km around that town (30-40 sq km). The enclave is formally handed over on May 15/28, 1913.

July 28/August 10, 1913: Under the third Treaty of Bucharest, Bulgaria, defeated in the Second Balkan War against its former Balkan allies, loses the rest of Southern Dobrudzha to Romania. The land border between the two countries is fixed as a line running from the town of Tutrakan on the Danube to the village of Kranevo on the Black Sea.

1916: The Romanian authorities torture and kill hundreds of unarmed Bulgarian men, women and children in four villages in Southern Dobrudzha and burn their homes. In mid-August, up to 40,000 peaceful civilians are taken to concentration camps in Moldova, where few survive harassment and hard labour.

September 2, 1916: A day after declaring war on Romania together with Germany and Turkey, Bulgaria invades Dobrudzha. The Bulgarians capture Dobrich on September 4 and Tutrakan on September 6. They enter Constanţa on October 21 and Cernavodă on October 25. By January 4, 1917, the Bulgarian 3rd Army controls all Northern Dobrudzha. The trench warfare on the River Siret and the Danube delta ends by the signing of a separate armistice of the Central Powers with Russia on December 15, 1917.

December 9, 1917: Romania is forced to sign an armistice with the Central Powers.

May 7, 1918: Under the fourth Treaty of Bucharest, Bulgaria annexes all of Southern and a small part of Northern Dobrudzha (the border being rectified along the Cernavodă - Constanţa line) from Romania. The rest of Dobrudzha is to be governed jointly by Bulgaria, Germany, Austria-Hungary and Turkey as a condominium.

November 24, 1918: Under an armistice between the Entente and Bulgaria, signed in Salonika on September 29, 1918, the Bulgarian administration and troops leave Dobrudzha, which is occupied by French forces in the North and by British and Italian forces in the South. Romanian administrators, gendarmerie and military move into Southern Dobrudzha in late 1918 and early 1919.

November 27, 1919: After Bulgaria ends up on the losers' side in WW I, the Treaty of Neuilly reawards Southern Dobrudzha to Romania, returning the land boundary to the Tutrakan - Kranevo line of the 1913 treaty. De facto, the Romanian army begins to occupy Southern Dobrudzha in early September 1919. The region is officially handed over to Romania on December 6, 1919.

December 9, 1919: In Paris, Romania and the Allied Powers sign a Minorities Treaty under which Romania, in exchange for its territorial enlargement, undertakes to respect the rights of all its inhabitants "without distinction of birth, nationality, language, race or religion".

1919-1924: During a period of relative tolerance for the Bulgarian minority, Romania allows the opening of five Bulgarian schools and several churches in Dobrudzha. In 1922, a mixed commission is assigned to address a number of contentious issues between the two countries but fails in its mission.

1924-1940: Romania implements a systematic policy of de-Bulgarization and colonization in both parts of Dobrudzha, putting the Bulgarian population there under severe economic, political and cultural pressure. Some 84,000 Romanian colonists, including Kutzo-Vlachs (Aromanians) from Greek Macedonia and Megleno-Romanians, are settled in the region between the mid-1920s and the mid-1930s. Bulgarian schools, churches, libraries and community centres are closed. Bulgarian priests are replaced by Romanian ones. School instruction is conducted entirely in Romanian. Two laws adopted in 1924 oblige Bulgarians to forfeit to the Romanian State one-third of their land properties. The resulting land stock is distributed among Romanian colonists. Bulgarians are allowed to sell land only to the Romanian State. As a result, within less than two decades local Bulgarians are dispossessed of nearly 500,000 ha of land. Between 40,000 and 60,000 are forced to relocate to Bulgaria. The locals put up armed resistance against the repressions and ransacking bands, setting up an Internal Dobrudzhan Revolutionary Organization in 1923 and a Dobrudzhan Revolutionary Organization in 1925.

April 1936: In Sofia, Bulgaria and Romania open negotiations on the points of dispute. The Bulgarian delegation proposes a draft agreement settling certain contentious issues between the two countries and a draft agreement on the regime of the Romanian minority in Bulgaria and of the Bulgarian minority in Romania. In May 1937, the sides reach agreement meeting part of the Bulgarian demands, but this agreement never enters into force.

January 1939: In Rome, King Boris III raises the Dobrudzha Question, but Italy ignores the Bulgarian claims.

April 13, 1939: Great Britain and France give Romania official guarantees that they will safeguard its territorial integrity. Unofficially, they pledge moral support to the Bulgarian cause.

April 19, 1939: Bulgarian Prime Minister Georgi Kiosseivanov circulates a confidential Directive No. 19 to the Bulgarian legations abroad, stating, among other things, that "Bulgaria could join a new Balkan alliance only after territorial changes which would give it Southern Dobrudzha, Thrace within the borders of 1913 and, possibly, the Tsaribrod and Bosilegrad areas as included in Bulgaria's pre-war territory".

Manoeuvring to enlist the great powers' support, the Bulgarian Government hints to Germany that a Dobrudzha settlement with the help of the UK and the USSR is against its interests while threatening Italy, Britain and France that it will approach Russia for assistance.

May 1939: The Soviet Union makes official its favourable stand on Bulgaria's claims.

July 5, 1939: In Berlin, German Chancellor Adolf Hitler declines to address the Bulgarian territorial claims, telling Kiosseivanov to take the matter to Rome.

November 1939: Greek dictator Ioannis Metaxas tells the Bulgarian minister plenipotentiary in Athens Dimitar Shishmanov: "If you have any claims on Romania, we will not intervene".

November 1939: Lord George Lloyd tries and fails to persuade Romania to make concessions on the Dobrudzha issue so that Bulgaria could be drawn into a neutral Balkan bloc. In Sofia, Kiosseivanov and King Boris tell the UK government mediator that Bulgaria would wait for a peaceful settlement of the Southern Dobrudzha question.

February-March 1940: Bulgarian diplomacy fails yet again to win over Germany to its Dobrudzha concern, dangling the threat from the West and Russia. Berlin finds Sofia's claim to Southern Dobrudzha just, modest and feasible but would rather not commit itself against Romania as its vital supplier of oil and food.

Spring 1940: The Anglo-French bloc acknowledges the legitimacy of the Bulgarian claims and abandons the guarantees they gave to Romania in April 1939, now that it is a German ally.

April 4, 1940: At a secret conference at the Bulgarian Foreign Ministry, the Dobrudzha Question is identified as Bulgaria's top policy priority. Foreign Minister Ivan Popov (head of BTA as Press Director in 1924-1933) designs a comprehensive programme for its settlement, instructing the country's representatives abroad "to exercise caution and dexterity in clarifying the Dobrudzha question and enlisting support for its settlement in the sense of a reversion of Southern Dobrudzha within its borders of 1913". The diplomats are advised to highlight Bulgaria's desire for a peaceful resolution of the issue as an injustice that needs to be redressed.

June 22, 1940: France, the chief custodian of Romania's territorial status quo, surrenders to Germany.

June 28, 1940: The Soviet Union annexes Bessarabia and Northern Bukovina from Romania. This move brings the issue of Romania's borders with Hungary and Bulgaria back to the fore. Hungary offers Bulgaria joint actions against Romania, but Popov diplomatically declines the proposal. Budapest is ready to go to war over Transylvania. Bucharest decides to rush a settlement on Dobrudzha so as to be able to reinforce its western border with the units now stationed south of the Danube. Inspired by Hungary's example, Filov and Popov consider declaring mobilization and regaining Southern Dobrudzha by military force. King Boris categorically opposes the idea, and the reactions from Rome and Berlin persuade them to abandon this option.

June 29, 1940: Boris III tells the German Minister Plenipotentiary in Sofia Herbert von Richthofen that unless Bulgaria receives Southern Dobrudzha, there is a danger of a violent revolution, followed by a very close association with Moscow.

July 7, 1940: Former Bulgarian King Ferdinand I writes a personal letter to Hitler, stressing the importance for Germany's Eastern policy of Bulgaria obtaining Southern Dobrudzha through German mediation.

July 4 and 15, 1940: In personal messages, Hitler advises Romanian King Carol II that his country "should come to terms by peaceful means, simultaneously with the Bulgarians and the Hungarians, on a reasonable basis". In return, Germany and Italy would guarantee the borders of all three states. In a significant breakthrough, the Romanian Government says it is ready to negotiate with Bulgaria and Hungary but does not intend to cede territories.

July 23, 1940: In Berlin, Hitler and German Foreign Minister Joachim von Ribbentrop compel visiting Romanian Prime Minister Ion Gigurtu and Foreign Minister Mihail Manoilescu to start negotiations with Hungary and Bulgaria on a settlement of the Transylvania and Dobrudzha questions.

July 24, 1940: In London, a Foreign Office spokesman says that Britain recognizes the "fundamental justice" of Bulgaria's claim against Romania for return of Southern Dobrudzha.

July 27, 1940: In Salzburg, Ribbentrop receives Bulgarian Prime Minister Bogdan Filov and Foreign Minister Ivan Popov, who insist on recovery of Southern Dobrudzha within its 1913 borders. Conferring with the Bulgarian guests at his Berghof Residence in Obersalzberg later that day, Hitler tells them that he consents to Bulgaria's claim, including Silistra, but refuses to act as arbitrator.

July 28, 1940: Approached for advice, Italy's Foreign Minister, Count Galeazzo Ciano, tells Bucharest to yield to the demands of Sofia and Budapest. "We must at any cost avoid a conflict in the Balkans which would deprive us of their economic resources. For our part we shall keep Hungary and Bulgaria from joining the conflict," Ciano writes in his diary.

August 2, 1940: The Crown Council of Romania mandates the Foreign Ministry to open negotiations with Hungary and Bulgaria.

August 3-5, 1940: During a special mission in Sofia, Romanian Ambassador in Belgrade Victor Cădere proposes a full population exchange and a rectification of the border with Bulgaria that would leave Silistra and Balchik to Romania. The Filov Government adamantly rejects this claim. The sides decide on Craiova as the venue for negotiations on a final settlement of the Dobrudzha Question.

August 13, 1940: In the Pravda daily, the Soviet Government publicly declares its unqualified support of Bulgaria's thesis on Dobrudzha, arguing that its historic and economic rights to the southern part of the region are justified.

"Sofia, August 16, 1940 (BTA). The Romanian Minister Plenipotentiary, Mr [Eugen] Filotti, today called on the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr Ivan Popov, and handed him a memorandum from the Romanian Government, explaining Romania's stand on the talks held so far between the governments. In conclusion of its memorandum, the Romanian Government proposes that representatives of the countries meet at an official conference in the city of Craiova on Monday, August 19." In the memorandum, Romanian Foreign Minister Manoilescu proposes a partition of Southern Dobrudzha, with Bucharest keeping an area of 1,200 sq km or about one-sixth of the territory of the region, including Silistra and Balchik. Bulgaria is also asked to repatriate all Bulgarians from Romania and to pay the movable and immovable property of the Romanians who evacuate the region, to give Romanian colonists in the area an appropriate time to resettle, and to guarantee their right of ownership. Another demand is for mandatory emigration of the Bulgarian population from Northern Dobrudzha.

August 19, 1940: In Craiova, the negotiations open at the Royal Resident's Residence. The five-member Bulgarian delegation is headed by the Minister Plenipotentiary in Rome, Svetoslav Pomenov, and consists of Lieutenant General Georgi Popov, Commander of the Varna garrison, Theokhar Papazoff, Judge ad hoc at the Permanent Court of International Justice, Dr A. Angelov, Secretary General of the Ministry of Interior, and Alexander Mollov, Director of Public Debts. The Romanian delegation is headed by Alexandru Cretzianu, Secretary General of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and includes Brigadier General Gheorghe Potopeanu, Chief of Staff of the 2nd Army, Henri Georges Meitani, legal adviser at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Eugen Cristescu of the Ministry of the Interior, former Minister Plenipotentiary George Elefterescu, and three technical experts of the Ministry of Finance. From hard bargaining at the outset, the talks gradually degenerate into tragicomic horse-trading. They are frequently deadlocked or interrupted, and then resumed after Germany and Italy intervene. On August 21, the Romanian military expert, General Potopeanu, says that his government demands a strategic rectification of the pre-1913 border, with Bulgaria ceding the two "triangles of the new Bulgarian border pushing into Romania". General Popov is unyielding on the matter. Romania insists that Sofia indemnify Bucharest by 28-30 billion leu for property left in Southern Dobrudzha but finally settles for 1 billion leu offered by Bulgaria. Pressured by Germany prior to the start of the talks and in a bid to prevent their break-off, the Bulgarian Government gives in to the Romanian demand for a compulsory rather than optional exchange of populations in Dobrudzha.

"Craiova, August 19, 1940 (BTA). At 12 noon today, the two delegations held their first session at the Royal Resident's palace.

During the presentation, Mr Cretzianu made a solemn speech, and the Minister Plenipotentiary, Mr Pomenov, replied to him. Next their proceeded with exchanging their full powers.

At 1:30 p.m. today, the Royal Resident hosted a luncheon for the Bulgarian delegation, and the second session will take place at 5 p.m."

August 29 and 30, 1940: By the Second Arbitration of Vienna, Germany and Italy force Romania to cede Northern and Central Transylvania to Hungary.

September 5, 1940: British Prime Minister Winston Churchill says in a speech: "Personally I have always thought that the Southern part of the Dobrudzha ought to be restored to Bulgaria."

September 5, 1940: Having been suspended on September 2 on the brink of a complete failure, the negotiations in Craiova are resumed, and all differences are ironed out with surprising ease at two successive meetings between Pomenov and Cretzianu. The last session is successfully completed in the early morning of September 7.

September 6, 1940: King Carol II, a fierce opponent of territorial concessions, abdicates. General Ion Antonescu establishes a military dictatorship in Romania. Eager to achieve a close alliance with Germany, the new government carries out Hitler's recommendations to settle the dispute with Bulgaria.

"Bucharest, September 6, 1940 (DNB). According to well informed sources in Bucharest, there are still certain difficulties in Craiova, but the newly appointed Prime Minister, General Antonescu, has ordered that the negotiations should be completed as soon as possible and that no difficulties whatsoever should be posed to the Bulgarian claims regarding the technical matters."

"Craiova, September 7, 1940 (BTA). The accord between Bulgaria and Romania on the cession of Southern Dobrudzha was signed at 3:20 p.m. today in the conference room of the building of the Royal Resident's Residence in Craiova.

At 2:35 p.m., the Bulgarian delegation, headed by its president, the Minister Plenipotentiary Mr S. Pomenov, drove by automobiles from the Jean Mihail Palace to the building of the Royal Resident's Residence, where they arrived shortly after that. At the entrance to the residence, the delegation was welcomed by the Legation Secretary, Mr Cantemir, who led them to the conference room where the Romanian delegation, led by the Minister Plenipotentiary Mr Cretzianu, was assembled. Immediately after that, the Secretary General of the Romanian delegation, Mr Elefterescu, proceeded with reading the text of the accord. Then the floor went to the President of the Romanian delegation, the Minister Plenipotentiary Mr Cretzianu, who made a speech.

Mr S. Pomenov replied to Mr Cretzianu's speech.

Mr S. Pomenov's speech was followed by the signing and sealing of the two copies of the Bulgarian-Romanian accord, drafted in French. The two Bulgarian delegates, Messrs Pomenov and Theokhar Papazoff, signed for Bulgaria. The accord was signed for Romania by Messrs Cretzianu and Meitani.

The four delegates also signed the annexes to the accord."

The Romanian delegation signed the Bulgarian copy, and the Bulgarian delegation signed the Romanian copy. Then the two copies were exchanged and signed again by the two delegations. Finally, wax seals were affixed to the two copies of the treaty. The historic act was signed with a special silver pen that the Bulgarian delegation had brought in order to present it to the War Museum. At the express request of the Romanian delegation, members of the press and photographers were not admitted to the signing. The Bulgarian delegation left the Residence at 3:35 p.m. At 5 p.m., the Bulgarian delegation departed Craiova by a special train after a cordial send-off by the Romanian delegation and the authorities of Craiova.

"Sofia, September 7, 1940 (BTA). […] According to this treaty, Bulgaria recovers the entire territory of Southern Dobrudzha within its boundaries of 1912. ["The new frontier shall start from the Danube immediately downstream from Silistra and shall reach the Black Sea approximately 8 km south of Mangalia."]

The terms of the treaty are:

1. Immediately after the ratification of the treaty, Bulgarian military delimitation commissions proceed, in collaboration with Romanian commissions, with the exact establishment of the new border on site.
2. The representatives of the civilian authorities enter Dobrudzha on September 15 and take over the central and local government buildings.
3. At 9 a.m. on September 20, the Bulgarian troops cross the border and in the course of ten days occupy the territory of Southern Dobrudzha.
4. Within three months after the ratification of the treaty, the Romanian population from Southern Dobrudzha [approximately 84,000] will be compulsorily exchanged for the Bulgarian population from Northern Dobrudzha [some 68,000].
5. Provisions for voluntary resettlement are made for the population in the other parts of the two countries.
6. The Bulgarian State undertakes to pay, in the course of two budget exercises, a lump sum in leu equivalent to 450,000,000 leva for the balance of the value of private buildings, properties, claims, etc. This payment liquidates all other financial claims.
7. The Romanian State undertakes to pay the Bulgarians of Northern and Southern Dobrudzha the requisitions as carried out.

Mixed commissions, with the requisite number of sub-commissions, will take care of all matters needed to implement the treaty."

September 7, 1940: At 4 p.m., Prime Minister Bogdan Filov announces the reannexation of Southern Dobrudzha in an address to the nation on Radio Sofia.

"Sofia, September 8, 1940 (BTA). On the occasion of the return of Southern Dobrudzha to Bulgaria, nationwide celebrations took place throughout the country today.

In the capital city, at 11 a.m., a solemn thanksgiving service was held at the St Alexander Nevsky Memorial Cathedral by the Locum Tenens of the Holy Synod, His Eminence Metropolitan Neofit of Vidin, concelebrating with Their Eminences Metropolitan Stefan of Sofia and Metropolitan Paisii of Vratsa and priests.

Attending the service were Their Majesties the King and the Queen, accompanied by Their Royal Highnesses Prince Kiril and Princess Eudoxia, the Prime Minister, Prof. Bogdan Filov, the Chairman of the National Assembly, Mr [Nikola] Logofetov, the Deputy Chairmen of the National Assembly, Messrs [Nikola] Zahariev and [Dimitar] Peshev, Their Majesties' civilian and military retinue, the German Minister Plenipotentiary, Baron von Richthofen with the staff of the legation, the Italian Minister Plenipotentiary, Count [Massimo] Magistrati with the staff of the legation, the Hungarian Minister Plenipotentiary, Mr [Mihály Jungerth-]Arnóty with the staff of the legation, the Mayor of Sofia, Engr. [Ivan] Ivanov, the Chief of Staff of the Army, General [Nikola] Hadzhipetkov […] and thousands of citizens." Between 12:30 and 3:30 p.m., a festive demonstration takes place in front of the Royal Palace, from the balcony of which the royal family and the cabinet members acknowledge the ovation and congratulations of more than 100,000 people marching past.

September 10, 1940: General Ion Antonescu, in his capacity as Leader of the Romanian State and President of the Council of Ministers, issues Decree-Law No. 3099 ratifying the Treaty of Craiova.

September 12, 1940: King Boris III issues Decree No. 35 endorsing the Treaty of Craiova.

September 12, 1940: The Romanian Parliament ratifies the Treaty by Law No. 541. The Law, the Decree-Law, and a bilingual French and Romanian version of the text of the Treaty are published in Monitorul Oficial Part I No. 212 of that date, on which Decree-Law No. 3099 and Law No. 541 enter into force.

September 12, 1940: The royal endorsing decree and a bilingual Bulgarian and French version of the text of the Treaty are published in Bulgaria's State Gazette No. 206 (Supplement).

September 14, 1940: In Bucharest, the Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary of Bulgaria to Romania, Stojan Petroff-Tchomakoff, and the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Romania, Prof. Mihail Manoilescu, exchange the instruments of ratification of the Treaty of Craiova.

September 15, 1940: The Treaty between Bulgaria and Romania, signed at Craiova on September 7, 1940, enters into force together with its four annexes (Annex A: Protocol on Application of Article I of the Treaty; Annex B: Agreement on the Modalities of Evacuation and Transfer of the Territory; Annex C: Agreement Concerning the Exchange of Bulgarian and Romanian populations; Annex D: Financial Agreement) and an exchange of letters between the chief negotiators.

September 20, 1940: Addressing the National Assembly, King Boris thanks Hitler, Mussolini, King Victor Emmanuel, Ribbentrop, Ciano, and the Hungarian Government for their support. The Bulgarian Government thanks the UK for its support, incurring a German protest. The British Ambassador in Sofia George Rendel writes: "The jubilation with which this was received took the form of enthusiastic gratitude to our two principal enemies, and did our case an infinity of harm […] Many waverers who had not yet committed themselves to the German side were swept into the vortex of pro-German enthusiasm."

September 21, 1940: Bulgaria's National Assembly approves the Treaty by a resolution passed unanimously and without a debate. Presenting the Treaty to the legislature, Prime Minister Filov stresses that it was concluded by the two countries' voluntary consent and mutual understanding. Filov insists that the return of Southern Dobrudzha became possible above all thanks to the "friendly mediation" of Hitler and Mussolini "which greatly facilitated the conduct of the negotiations in Craiova and was the reason for their favourable outcome". In response, both pro- and anti-Soviet opposition MPs express regret that the USSR's support for the Bulgarian claims is not publicly appreciated.

September 21, 1940: By order of King Boris III, the units of the Bulgarian 3rd Army cross in 12 columns the 200-km border into Southern Dobrudzha at 9 a.m. Balchik and Tutrakan are liberated on September 21, followed by Dobrich and Kavarna on September 25, and Silistra on October 1 (the last day of the four-stage process).

February 10, 1947: The Peace Treaty with the Allies, signed in Paris, defines Bulgaria's frontiers as "those which existed on January 1, 1941". Bulgaria thus sets a precedent as the only defeated country in WW II to emerge from the war with a territorial gain. The Treaty of Craiova is left unrevised because the return of Southern Dobrudzha was recognized by all great powers on both sides of the front and is not contested after the end of the war.

October 19, 1947: In Sofia, the governments of Bulgaria and Romania sign a Final Act on Matters Unsettled in the Treaty of Craiova of September 7, 1940, which enters into force upon signature.

The Historians' Say:

Senior Research Associate Metodi Petrov: "Maintaining neutrality at the start of World War II, Bulgarian politicians scored a major success: regaining Southern Dobrudzha by peaceful means."

Prof. Nikolay Genchev: "The settlement of the Southern Dobrudzha question is an undeniable achievement of Bulgarian foreign policy during WW II. The Craiova Treaty of September 7, 1940 corrected a historic injustice imposed on Bulgaria in Neuilly in 1919. Craiova restored the Bulgarian nation's historic rights to lands that were the cradle of the Bulgarian State. This act is of utmost importance for the development of Balkan relations. It demonstrates that contentious issues in the Balkans can be resolved not only by force of arms, through military ventures, but by means of a peaceful assertion of the historic rights of the Balkan peoples."