Bulgaristan: Tarihi ve komunizm sonrası değişim

ABSTRACTBULGARIA: HISTORY AND POSTCOMMUNIST TRANSITIONzgü, AdemM.A., Department of International RelationsSupervisor: Asst. Prof. Dr. Nur Bilge CrissJuly 2005This thesis analyses establishment and transition of Bulgaria in chronologicalorder, starting from the emergence of an independent Bulgarian kingdom in the Balkansto modern Bulgaria, mainly elaborating changes in the social-political, economic andforeign policy dimensions. The thesis aims to give a general perspective of today?sdeveloping democratic Bulgaria, shedding light on critical turning points in history, thetragedies of Bulgaria in the conflictual environment of the Balkans, and recent events, whichfundamentally changed the direction, and nature of the country. This study claims that thetransition has been extraordinary and exemplary for many reasons including the absenceof ethnic unrest, rapid economic developments and peaceful active foreign policy.Moreover, the thesis points out the tolerant structure of Ottoman governance, and thepeaceful, acquiescent, and faithful character of the Turkish minority, explaining theirimportant role in the peaceful transition of the country.Keywords: Bulgaria, History, Social Transition, Political Transition, Minorities,Economic Transition, Foreign Policy Transition.