The photodocumentary exhibition “The pogrom in Bosilegrad 15-16 May 1917” by Associate Professor Dr. Angel Dzhonev from the Institute for Historical Studies at the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences was opened on January 29 at the National Assembly. The exposition was organized with the assistance of the Bulgarian Cultural Information Centre in Bosilegrad.
It should be recalled that on 15 and 16 May 1917 a Serbian detachment led by the voivode Kosta Pećanac penetrated the pre-war borders of the Kingdom of Bulgaria attacking the Bosilegrad region. As a result of the attack, 35 civilian Bulgarians were killed, the property of 317 households was destroyed, and the damage was estimated at over 2.5 million leva at the time.
National Assembly Speaker Natalia Kiselova noted that the exhibition was an occasion to recall the fate of the Bulgarians from the Western suburbs. “Let us not forget that the focus of the work of the Parliament should be the people who identify themselves as Bulgarians and their current problems,” she added and expressed her hope that the Committee on Policies for Bulgarians Abroad would be particularly active in this direction.
The author of the documentary exposition Assoc. Prof. Angel Dzhonev described the events of the First World War as a bloody trace left in the region of Bosilegrad. In his words, the issue of the Western Outlands has a centuries-old history because Bulgarians live there and need support. Assoc. Prof. Angel Dzhonev also recalled the unprecedented aid to the victims granted by the Seventeenth Ordinary National Assembly by special legislation.
He handed over to the President of the National Assembly Assoc. Prof. Natalia Kiselova the opinions of the Bulgarian hist
orians and linguists from BAS and the Macedonian Scientific Institute who in the most categorical way defended the Bulgarian character of the region of the Western Outlands against the backdrop of the reappearance of Serbian claims for a Shopi nation.
The opening of the exhibition was attended by MPs, representatives of the Bulgarian community in the Western Outlands, scientists from BAS institutes, public figures, diplomats and journalists. It is part of a series of initiatives taken by the academic community to address claims to Bulgarian history, culture, diaspora and identity.
Photos: https://www.parliament.bg/
