Ownership
Property abandoned by Muslims fleeing the Russian army during the 1877–1878 war was appropriated by the local population. The former owners, mostly large landholders, were threatened with trial by military court if they had committed crimes during the war, so that they would not return. Two Turkish landowners who did return were in fact sentenced to death thus preventing others from desiring to come back. Those Turkish landowners who were not able to take possession of their land were financially compensated, with the funds collected by the Bulgarian peasants, some of whom were indebted as a result. For those who did return a 10% property tax was issued, forcing many to sell off their property in order to pay the tax. According to Michael Palairet, land rights of Muslim owners were largely disregarded despite of being guaranteed by the powers and de-Ottomanization of Bulgaria and Eastern Rumelia led to the economic decline in the region.
Read more about this topic: Eastern Rumelia
Famous quotes containing the word ownership:
“They had their fortunes to make, everything to gain and nothing to lose. They were schooled in and anxious for debates; forcible in argument; reckless and brilliant. For them it was but a short and natural step from swaying juries in courtroom battles over the ownership of land to swaying constituents in contests for office. For the lawyer, oratory was the escalator that could lift a political candidate to higher ground.”
—Federal Writers’ Project Of The Wor, U.S. public relief program (1935-1943)