Podcast in English
Text size
Bulgarian National Radio © 2025 All Rights Reserved

Bulgaria commemorates 100 years of severing of Bulgaria's Western outlands after end of WW1

Town of Bosilegrad, in present-day Serbia
Photo: far.rs

After the First World War /1914-1918/ and the decision of the Neuilly Peace Treaty in 1919, on November 6, 1920, the Serbian army occupied Bulgaria's Western outlands (129 settlements in the regions of Tsaribrod, Bosilegrad, and Strumica) with an area totalling ​​1,545 sq. km and a population of nearly 65,000 people. 

On the day of the occupation, the National Assembly of Bulgaria suspended its sittings as a token of protest and declared 3 days of national mourning. 
The black headscarf became a symbol of this occupation. The Bulgarian women in the occupied territories put on black headscarves ion their heads in sign of national mourning, and the border drawn in this way has been called by the local Bulgarians the "Black Border". 
In the occupied territories, Serbs closed down 7 schools and 45 churches.
Despite the pandemic, Bosilegrad Cultural and Information centre, GLAS Association and the Democratic Union of Bulgarians in Bosilegrad, Serbia, will symbolically mark the Day of the Western Outlands and the centenary of the occupation of these lands with a minute of silence to those who died at the border, the Bosilegrad Cultural and Information Centre has announced. 



Последвайте ни и в Google News Showcase, за да научите най-важното от деня!
Listen to the daily news from Bulgaria presented in "Bulgaria Today" podcast, available in Spotify.

More from category

Christo Grozev

Bulgarian investigative journalist Christo Grozev named European Journalist of the Year

Bulgarian investigative journalist Christo Grozev has been awarded the prestigious "Journalist of the Year" award at the PRIX EUROPA   European media festival, which is supported by an alliance of 24 European public media outlets.  Grozev, who is..

published on 10/4/25 10:15 AM

Solemn concert and Dobrudzha Pumpkin Festival held in Stefanovo village

The Pumpkin Festival and the holiday of the village of Stefanovo will be held over the weekend, Dobrich Municipality announced. On Saturday, a solemn concert will be held with the participation of local bands, which will end..

published on 10/4/25 4:55 AM

Pont Neuf Square renamed in tribute to Christo and Jeanne-Claude

To mark the 40th anniversary of Christo and Jeanne-Claude's monumental artwork, 'The Pont Neuf Wrapped', which transformed the iconic Parisian bridge into a work of art for fourteen days, the square adjacent to the bridge has been named 'Pont Neuf —..

published on 10/3/25 9:33 PM