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A total of 29 doctors from the "Southwest Hospital" in Sandanski have submitted their resignations to the facility's manager, Dr. Iliya Tonev. The decision follows an extraordinary session of the Municipal Council, convened in response to the death of a newborn baby in an ambulance
some members of the local community labeled the medical staff as "murderers" and "incompetents," prompting outrage among the hospital's personnel
expressed the profound indignation of the medical team
stating that the accusations deeply offended the doctors
They are now demanding a meeting with the municipal leadership to address the situation
the municipality should focus on resolving the facility's existing challenges rather than exacerbating them with such accusations
The medical staff has set a deadline for action
If their concerns are not addressed and meaningful steps are not taken to improve conditions at the hospital
the resignations will take effect on January 11
This would result in the closure of several departments
significantly impacting healthcare services in the region
emphasizing the need for constructive dialogue and support to ensure the hospital's continued operation
Source: Bulgarian National Television (BNT)
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A Romanian family paid 3,084.60 leva (1,500 euros) for medical treatment at the Burgas University Hospital following a serious road accident
An 11-month-old baby has died from a severe case of meningococcal infection in Sofia
The number of young doctors choosing to stay in Bulgaria after completing their medical education continues to grow for the third consecutive year
At least 11 women in Bulgaria have suffered complications after receiving botulinum toxin injections from a person without medical education
A 21-year-old woman from the village of Yablanovo
gave birth to twins early today at the entrance of the Shumen General Hospital
Israel has turned to Bulgaria for assistance in battling the rapidly advancing wildfires in areas near Jerusalem
The Bulgarian mobile operator A1 has confirmed that it is experiencing technical difficulties affecting both calls and text messages across its network
A series of minor earthquakes were recorded in the Nessebar area
with the strongest tremor measuring 3.3 on the Richter scale
A woman sustained serious injuries after being attacked with pepper spray and an electroshock device
and subsequently set on fire inside a hospital in the Bulgarian town of Botevgrad
A 25-year-old man is in critical condition following an accident at the amusement park in Yambol
A serious traffic accident in the Bulgarian town of Harmanli has left a 13-year-old child in critical condition after he was struck by a car while riding an electric scooter
Google Street View Cars Return to Bulgaria for Major Mapping Update
Housing Prices Soar in Bulgaria’s Major Cities as Demand and Supply Strain Increase
The IHF Women’s Junior World Championship is set to take place in Skopje
with three arenas hosting the 112 matches: the Boris Trajkovski Sports Center and the two halls in the Sport Centre Jane Sandanski
32 teams from five continents are due to play in the 24th edition of the world handball flagship competition at this age category
as all of the teams will enter the fray on 19 June
The competition will be opened simultaneously in all three arenas
with the Republic of Korea facing Mexico at 09:00 CEST in the Boris Trajkovski Sports Center
while Hungary face Argentina at 09:00 CEST in the Sport Centre Jane Sandanski
Switzerland face Tunisia in the second arena in the Sport Centre Jane Sandanski
Hosts North Macedonia will face the United States of America in the last match of the day
Eight matches are being scheduled in the preliminary round on both 20 and 21 June
with the final day of the preliminary round seeing all 32 teams back in action on 22 June
with matches played between 09:00 CEST and 20:15 CEST
The two rounds scheduled for the main round are due to take place at 16:15 and 18:30 CEST on 23 and 24 June
18:00 and 20:15 CEST in the Boris Trajkovski Sports Center and the two halls in the Sport Centre Jane Sandanski
The four quarter-finals are due to be played on Thursday
at 18:00 and 20:30 CEST in the Boris Trajkovski Sports Center and the two halls in the Sport Centre Jane Sandanski
with the other teams featuring in placement matches
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The highest temperature on Saturday in Bulgaria was recorded in Sandanski
showed data on the website of the National Institute of Meteorology and Hydrology (NIMH)
Silistra and Knezha (northern Bulgaria) it was 37C.
In Sofia on Saturday the temperature reached 34C
Lower temperatures were recorded near the Black Sea coast
Thermometers in Burgas showed 29C and in Varna - 31C
NIMH had announced an orange code for high temperatures throughout the country for Saturday
During the night it will be mostly clear and almost quiet
Light to moderate east-northeasterly winds will blow in the east
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The fire burning near the Bulgarian-Greek border remains critical
having approached as close as 600 meters to Bulgarian territory and raging for the fourth consecutive day
The Sandanski villages of Petrovo and Goleshovo are dangerously near
The fire department has indicated that the situation is still high-risk
foresters and firefighters resumed efforts to create clearings to prevent the fire from spreading into Slavyanka Mountain
stated in front of BNT: "Our teams were on the line as early as 4:30 a.m.
The eastern front of the fire reached 600 meters from our border
It is quite possible for our people there with our methods to stop this fire
There is a forest fire in the Greek territory
That's why we started clearing about a kilometer and a half from the border we made a special clearing along the border furrow in order to do everything possible to prevent a fire on our territory." He assured that there is currently no danger to populated areas
noting that the village of Goleshevo is 5 km from the furrow
the fight against the fire near the border villages of Bolyarovo Municipality has entered its seventh day
Firefighters and soldiers are striving to extinguish the blaze near the village of Golyam Dervent
The situation in the area around the burnt village of Voden remains dynamic due to high temperatures and strong winds
The first seven vans for temporary accommodation for those in need arrived yesterday
Nikolay Kostadinov, manager of Yambol, detailed, "At the moment, there are three outbreaks between the villages of Voden and Kraynovo. One is in the 'Three Spouts' area near the village of Golyam Dervent. Yesterday, two Spanish planes and helicopters took part in extinguishing the fire
today there will be military and firemen on the ground
who will work for the fire is spread over an area of about 73,000 acres
there is no danger for the populated areas
it is not known what the situation will be during the day." He also mentioned that containers are expected to be furnished today with beds
The fire continues to pose a significant threat
with efforts ongoing to contain and extinguish it on both sides of the border
and authorities are working tirelessly to prevent the fire from spreading further and to ensure the safety of nearby communities
Bulgarian businesses are actively recruiting students to fill seasonal positions for the upcoming summer
offering earnings ranging from 4,000 to 6,000 leva
A 33-year-old man from the village of Semchinovo
has been taken into custody by the police for physically assaulting a 10-year-old child
Bulgarian educational institutions have witnessed a growing presence of Russian cultural initiatives
raising concerns about potential propaganda targeting young students
Grigor Dimitrov advanced to the round of 16 at the Madrid Masters after securing a straight-sets win over Britain’s Jacob Fearnley
Share on FacebookShare on X (formerly Twitter)Share on PinterestShare on LinkedIn"Oh look you got your favorite flavor!" said a woman at the Leesville Walmart as an employee handed her child a candy as part of the store's 35th-anniversary celebration
Businesses like Walmart can often be cornerstones in communities like Leesville
"As a small town having a place here that employs 400 plus people is just a wonderful thing because we're able to stay in our hometown and have good jobs and be with our families," said longtime associate Cheryl Mango
Mango and Brenda Midkiff have been with the company from the beginning and have watched the supermarket grow
"There was no tile there was no nothing," recalls Midkiff
The pair says the family atmosphere is what makes the job so special
they become your friends and they're like family now."
Other associates are family in the literal sense
Andrey Sandanski of Bulgaria along with his mother
father and sister have all been working at the Leesville Walmart for more than a decade
"Actually we're a very close family so we help each other no matter what
When we commit to something we actually stay
do our best and strive for excellence so that's why we've been with this store for over 16 years now."
but employees look forward to serving the community at your neighborhood Walmart for years to come
"I feel that we've really made a difference here in the community between our grants and donations and the volunteerism of our associates and it's just been a wonderful
the bargain hunting citizens of northern Greece are spending their euros across the border in neighbouring Bulgaria
where business is booming for local traders and dentists
the southern Bulgarian town of Sandanski has now joined the euro zone
and its near neighbour Petric may soon follow suit
the change has been prompted by the economic crisis
which has rocked Greece and resulted in severe price hikes on everyday items in the Hellenic republic
the two border towns have literally been invaded by Greek shoppers
and queue up to visit doctors and dentists
"It's a ill wind that blows no good," Bulgarian traders are rubbing their hands with glee
“I can't say we are delighted about our neighbours economic problems," explains one business owner
"but without them we would be going under too
The latest price increases in Greece have transformed our two towns into a kind of poor man's Klondike.”
Locals have a lot to say about the trolley pushing "invaders." Shop owners point out that they pay directly in euros
“They don't just buy one slice of feta like we do
they have even started buying fruit here,” remarks a grocer in Sandanski
Some traders have found that Greek customers are not always easy to manage
even if they only succeed in lowering the price by a euro
even customers like that are better than no customers at all,” insists another trader
which are the products with the biggest difference in price
and furniture and home equipment outlets are also doing brisk business
There is no such thing as a slow day at the spanking new Technomarket shopping centre
where most of the shoppers are discuss technical specifications in the language of Aristotle
Greeks are also converging on local service stations
They come from nearby regions — Nea Vrasna
Neo Petritsi and Sidirokastro — to fill up their cars
“We had to get organized to deal with the recession
Sometimes we just send over one driver to fill up his tank and as many jerricans has he can carry
Then we share the petrol between friends and neighbours,” explains George Ephtimios
a farmer from the small Greek village of Vironia
George comes to Sandanski several times a week to hunt for bargains: cheese
furniture… He is wearing a pair of trainers purchased in Bulgaria: “Five euros a pair!” At that price
have taken the major step of pulling up stakes and moving to Petric
where they rent small apartments or houses
Once they have become accustomed to life on the other side of the border
they act as advisors and on occasion as guides for their fellow citizens
“They show around whole groups who come to see them,” says Petric local Nikola Chopov
and the shops and restaurants that give a discount to Greeks
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And the boom in business is not just confined to retailing: many of the cross-border shoppers take advantage of cheaper dental services and lower prices for bridges and crowns
Local dentists have begun to work weekends to cope with influx of Greeks on a spree
Stomatogist Nikola Stoilov has even put up a sign in Greek to explain the opening hours of his surgery in Petric
I have a lot of Greek patients," he confirms
and they pay the same prices as Bulgarians
But I have a lot more of them coming to sit in my chair.” Sandanski and Petric are ready
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The Episcopal basilica in Sandanski is extremеly impressing
Not only because it was built in the fourth century
when Christianity had not yet managed to establish itself as a world religion
The three-nave restored building was opened in April this year
the church was able to compete in splender the Great Basilica in the old Bulgarian capital Pliska
Its walls were made of boulders and on a certain distance were placed sectors with 3 to 5 rows of bricks arranged as belts
The construction is typical for the late Roman period
Unusually for a church that in Sandanski was with two floors
There was also a large room in which they baptized the converts believers
The building was destroyed nearly two centuries later
In the basilica is revealed also spring with holy water
In the room where it was found were placed relics of a saint
The walls were decorated with colored plaster
as nowadays only a fraction of them remained
The yard of the church served as a place where the faithful gathered before the service
The covered corridors kept the people from rain and bad weather
There was found in the yard also a preserved well
In the basilica is found as well a unique fountain
to which water is supplied to the principle of communicating vessels
Undoubtedly there are a lot of amazing places around the world worth visiting at least once in life
Bulgaria is such a place where you will wish to come back again and again
In every season and every region of this small country
Sandanski will swing in the rhythm of Pirin folklore songs and dances
Then in one of the most famous spa resorts in Bulgaria will be held the festival “Sandanski sings and dances”
It is organized by the Association “Folklore Ensemble – Macedonian Beauty” and with the support of the Municipality of Sandanski
There are no age restrictions for participation in the festival so that both the youngest lovers of Bulgarian folklore and the masters can participate
The festival is organized in the form of a contest
The first day of the event the participants will be welcomed
they will deliver the music for their performances to the jury
If the weather throughout the day is sunny then the festival will be held at the Sandanski Summer Theater and if the weather is bad – in the big hall of the House of Culture in the town
The performers are non-professional ensembles across the country
As every ensemble performs three different people – authentic
processed without choreographic composition and processed with choreographic composition
I love to travel because of the encounters with diverse people and cultures and the chance to touch other worlds
And this can happen even without leaving the borders of your own country
you can travel thousands of years and dozens of borders without leaving your place
the journey is not only beautiful landscapes and ancient landmarks but also thousands of human stories
The preliminary round at the 2022 IHF Women’s Youth World Championship will come to a close on Tuesday
as 16 games are due to be played in the three venues in North Macedonia’s capital
With 11 main round berths already sealed by North Macedonia
five more will be awarded at the end of the day
Sweden and Iceland all battle for two spots
while Czech Republic and Brazil fight for one coveted spot in Group G
A point against Algeria would see Iceland through to the main round of the 2022 IHF Women’s Youth World Championship
a superb performance from the European side at their maiden edition of the tournament
Iceland have been one of the top defences in the competition
conceding only 17.5 goals per game on average
Algeria are the most permeable defence in the competition
therefore Iceland will surely be favoured in this game
after their 17:22 loss against Iceland in the first match of the group
as they must win against Montenegro to progress to the next phase
The Scandinavian side would record their worst-ever finish at the IHF Women’s Youth World Championship if they do not progress to the main round
defence-first approach will likely exert pressure on Sweden’s attack
a draw is enough for Montenegro to progress
both them and Iceland will start the main round with a point
courtesy of their 18:18 draw on the second day of the competition
Both teams progressing to the main round from this group have already been determined
Home side North Macedonia and World Championship debutants Islamic Republic of Iran are both on four points after two matches
they will fight for the top position in the group
And although Iran are the highest-scoring team of the tournament with 86 goals
North Macedonia will be ranked higher in case of a draw thanks to a better goal difference
Uzbekistan and debutants Senegal have lost a chance to reach the main round and will continue in the President’s Cup
so they will play for the points to take with them to the next stage
The situation in this all-European group is similar to Group B as both Denmark and Portugal have already secured their main round berths after two victories in as many games
As Denmark have a +22 goal difference compared to Portugal’s +11
even a draw will be enough for them to finish top of the group
Faroe Islands and Portugal tried to fight hard but lost their matches both on Saturday and Sunday
Now their goal is to do well in the President’s Cup
so both sides have something to fight for in their encounter
as the winner will start the next stage with two points
After stunning Croatia with a 33:31 opening victory
They have already secured a main round spot and will start the next round with four points
while their rivals India are set to play in the President’s Cup
Croatia and Kazakhstan will determine the second progressing team in a direct duel
the Balkan team bounced back in their second match against India
winning 56:34 in the highest-scoring game ever of the IHF Women’s World Youth Championships
And now the Croats will be seen as favourites against Kazakhstan
Romania and the Netherlands are both riding a two-game winning streak entering this game
Romania have the third best attack in the competition so far
while the Netherlands have scored 10 goals less
but passed the 30-goal mark in each game played so far
but with left back Maria Lixandroiu in top form – scoring 17 goals in two games – they have a potent weapon that can truly surprise the Netherlands
The winner of the match will take two points into the main round
who are already out of contention for a main round spot
collide in the search for the first win in the competition
Guinea have conceded 68 goals in two matches
with their defence being the seventh most permeable
as the European side are favoured in front of a team that is at their debut edition of the IHF Women’s Youth World Championship
Eyeing their eighth consecutive top-10 finish in the competition
the Republic of Korea had an outstanding start
dazzling with the sheer speed displayed at North Macedonia 2022
Their 34:28 win against Germany on Monday was one of the most consistent displays by a team so far in the competition
as they will try to extend their winning streak to three games on Tuesday against Slovakia
Seojin Kim and Minseo Kim have 20 goals each after two matches
as they could be worthy challengers for the top scorer title
the second main round berth will be decided by the game between Germany and Switzerland
Germany’s credentials as a top favourite in the competition were totally disrupted by Korea
who delivered what could be a fatal blow in the European side’s challenge for a medal
Germany need a draw from this game to progress
yet when the two sides met in June in Lübeck for a friendly game
Norway have already progressed to the main round but will need another win against the Czech Republic to start the next phase with two points
as Kristine Lunde-Borgersen’s side conceded the third-lowest amount of goals in the competition so far
The Czech Republic are big underdogs in this match
especially after earning a hard-fought 24:23 win against Uruguay and drawing against Brazil
then Brazil will need a win by two or more goals against Uruguay
according to the last meeting between the two sides
Brazil clinched a 37:20 win against their South American counterparts at the 2022 South and Central American Women's Youth Handball Championship
who is their top scorer at North Macedonia 2022
France and Hungary struggled in their matches against Argentina and Spain
but ultimately weathered the storm and earned second consecutive wins
These results made the situation in the group quite straightforward: France and Hungary are through to the main round
and their mutual encounter will determine the group winner
Argentina and Spain should be given a credit for their performance
yet once again they failed to take any points and will head to the President's Cup
they will face each other and try to earn their first points at North Macedonia 2022
A Lot More Than Just a Footnote in History
Can a story potentially start as a dramatic kidnapping and develop to have comic elements
Can two nations end up having good relations even though their formal ties started off on the wrong foot
The answer to these questions is "yes" with respect to one of the first cases of really tangible interaction between the nations of Bulgaria and the United States of America: The Miss Stone Affair
Much has been written about the Miss Stone Affair in Bulgaria and the United States – but the story is worth re-examining and re-telling
Perhaps the most comprehensive and lively account of this story – with the best possible title – on the American side is the book published in 2003 by American author Teresa Carpenter
"The Miss Stone Affair: America's First Modern Hostage Crisis."
Covers of the 2003 book by Pulitzer-winning
best-selling American author Teresa Carpenter
"The Miss Stone Affair: America's First Modern Hostage Crisis."
"One observation that I might contribute is that when I first came across this story in the form of a periodical abstract at the New York Public Library I had envisioned writing a monograph
based upon documents from the National Archives and Smithsonian in Washington
and the papers of the Congregationalist Missionaries at Harvard
It was original limited to the effects of the event upon/and responses by the U.S
the more real and compelling the players in this drama seemed and I realized that I would not be content without visiting the countries and sites where the events occurred
talking to descendants and friends of descendants and
breathing the same air." - This is what Mrs
Carpenter told me in an email while saying that she would rather not do an interview on her research since she had presented the Miss Stone Affair thoroughly in her book
which the first international crisis with an American hostage in modern times
For the Freedom and Unity of All Bulgarians
after the medieval Bulgarian empire was conquered by the Ottoman Turks in 1396 AD
Bulgaria was formally restored as a nation-state only on March 3
as a result of the Russian-Turkish War of 1877-78
itself brought about by the bloodily crushed Bulgarian April Uprising of 1876
Under the San Stefano peace treaty between Russia and Ottoman Turkey
Bulgaria was set up as a state on a territory of 170 000 square km encompassing the three historic and geographic regions traditionally inhabited by Bulgarians - Moesia
the Great Powers from the so called "European Concert" revised the San Stefano Treaty in the so called Berlin Congress
an outcome of their conflicting great power interests
two small autonomous Bulgarian states were set up - the Principality of Bulgaria and Eastern Roumelia (united in 1885
both inhabited mostly by Bulgarians at the time – were left in the hands of the Ottoman Turkish Empire
with the Bulgarians and the Christians as a whole suffering from the brutal treatment of the decaying Ottoman regime
Freedom-fighters such as Sandanski and Chernopeev sought to help unify Bulgarian-populated lands in Macedonia with those in Moesia and Thrace
after the Berlin Treaty divided liberated Bulgaria in five parts
the Southwest (in red-white stripes) was made part of Bulgaria in the San Stefano Treaty
but was then left completely outside Bulgaria at the Berlin Congress three months later
Bulgaria's entire political and social life in 1878-1944 was marked by the desire to unify all Bulgarian-populated lands in one nation state - leading the country to participate in five wars in that period
The Bulgarians in Macedonia and Thrace did not stay idle; actually
even more so than the free Bulgarian lands
several Bulgarian revolutionaries founded in Thessaloniki
the most important Ottoman city in Europe outside Istanbul
the VMORO (Internal Macedonian-Adrianople Revolutionary Organization; initially called "Bulgarian Macedonian-Adrianople Revolutionary Committee"; the "Bulgarian" ethnonym was dropped later to attract the other ethnicities to the cause)
The revolutionaries organized a secret network in the Ottoman provinces backed by cells in the free Bulgarian lands
A constant issue for them was the lack of money to fund their fight for freedom
In the summer of 1901 some of the leaders of the organization – Gotse Delchev
Yane Sandanski and Hristo Chernopeev – got together to discuss the money issue and considered kidnapping important people for ransom as a good option
One of their ideas was to kidnap the Bulgarian king Ferdinand himself
American Missionary Miss Stone: Wrong Place at the Wrong Time
One of the major revolutionary leaders of a band of Bulgarian rebels in the region of Pirin Macedonia
or "voivoda," Yane Sandanski decided to kidnap the Thessaloniki inspector of the American missionaries in the Ottoman Empire
He wanted to kill two birds with one kidnapping - both to get a large ransom
and to attract international attention to the plight and the liberation fight of the Macedonian Bulgarians
American Protestant missionaries actually played a pretty big role in Bulgaria's National Revival in the 19th century – a role absolutely unknown to Bulgarians today because the Soviet-engineered communist regime in 1944/8-1989 wiped out any school texts on the subject (or mentioned something vaguely about colonization attempts by the American imperialists.)
When Sandanski and Chernopeev went to the town of Bansko
which then was on Ottoman Turkish territory
to figure out how to lure John House there
they found out that another important missionary – Miss Ellen Stone – happened to be in town
She was transferred to Thessaloniki in 1898
arrived to Bulgaria shortly after Bulgaria's Liberation in 1878
Together they laid an ambush for two days in a nearby pass
They were dressed as Turks so as to avoid the wrath of the Ottoman authorities and irregular troops upon the civilian Bulgarians once they make the hit
the rebels ambushed the convoy of Miss Stone who was with 12 other Protestants
The Bulgarian revolutionaries who abducted Miss Stone: Yane Sandanski (sitting
with their associate Sava Mihaylov (sitting
Sandanski decided that the elderly Miss Stone will need help during the captivity so the rebels also took hostage Katerina Tsilka
a young Bulgarian Protestant married to Georgi Tsilka
All other captives with the exception of Miss Stone and Tsilka were released a few hours later
Sandanski revealed to Miss Stone that the kidnappers are Bulgarians – first
Miss Stone had lived among the Bulgarians in the Ottoman Empire and was well aware of their struggle for freedom
It is probably not a big surprise that she started to identify – and rather ardently – with the goals of her captors – or what psychologists described in the second half of the 20th century as "Stockholm Syndrome"
There are still legends and funny stories in Bulgarian popular culture today
about the kidnapping of Miss Stone by the Bulgarian Macedonian rebels
and how the mighty lady literally took control of the detachment
hardened freedom-fighters shave and clip their nails
and nearly converted them to Protestantism
At one point one got to wonder who had kidnapped whom
But the fact of the matter that Miss Stone did start to identify strongly with the freedom cause of the rebels was later confirmed by her enormous advocacy efforts for the Bulgarian cause in Macedonia back in the United States after she was released
A Bulgarian revolutionary band (or "cheta") roaming the mountains in the region of Macedonia at the beginning of the 20th century would look something like that
This is what the freedom-fighters who kidnapped Miss Stone looked like
This particular photo shows a gathering of some of the leaders
of the Ilinden-Preobrazhenie Uprising of 1903 before its outbreak
suffered major drawbacks from the very beginning
and the band had to cross the border into Bulgaria so that he can see a doctor
the young woman kidnapped to look after Miss Stone
The revolutionaries emerged to be determined to provide the best living conditions and care that were possible in their situation to the two hostages so they started to make preparations for the birth of the child
having Miss Stone and Tsilka knit clothes for the baby to be born
with the aid of the housewives in the houses where they stayed in different villages as this entire time the small detachment kept moving from village to village in the mountains to avoid being caught
"You will look after that woman as if she was a princess
She should not be hungry or thirsty for even a single moment!" the leader Sandanski ordered to the rebels
There they were – the captors some about a dozen Bulgarian rebels
the elderly American Protestant Miss Stone
the pregnant young woman Katerian Tsilka – moving from village to village wandering around the mountains in the geographic region of Pirin Macedonia while demanding the ransom
Miss Ellen Stone and the baby Elena shortly after their release by the Sandanski band
One day the rebels noticed that Miss Stone was especially sad
and Tsilka told them about this day was a special holiday for the Americans on which they would be with their family and would eat turkey
"When they learned this was an American holiday
in order to cheer up the saddened American woman
the rebels procured for her a fat turkey and together they made a meal," wrote the Bulgarian commercial representative in Thessaloniki to the Bulgarian Foreign Minister at the time
realizing that Thanksgiving was a special holiday
observed it by killing and cooking her a turkey," Ms
When America Still Couldn't Flex Its Muscles
Around 1900 the USA was still an emerging young colossus
which had little influence in European affairs despite the American presence in the Ottoman Empire
According to some American accounts from later history periods
the case with the abduction of Miss Stone represented the weakness and failure of the United States to protect its citizens in that part of the world
It took the Bulgarian captors of Miss Stone nearly two months to manage to get in touch with American representatives in order to demand a ransom
the kidnapping coincided with the assassination of American President William McKinley (shot on September 5
Sandanski kept Miss Stone and Tsilka informed the hostages about the news around McKinley's assassination
The revolutionaries promptly explained to Miss Stone their objectives and made her write a letter to a close person outlining their demands
The initial letter was not properly delivered as it did not make it to any American representatives but did cause the Ottoman and the Bulgarian authorities to start chasing Sandanski's band of rebels
the Supreme Macedonian-Adrianople Committee
a rival revolutionary organization based in Sofia (internal division turning into a bloody war is a nice Bulgarian tradition!)
also started pursuing Sandanski with its troops in order to retake the hostages and capture them ransom itself
Sandanski's small VMORO band clashed with another purely Bulgarian detachment of 80 men sent by the Supreme Committee
Krastyo Asenov managed to get a ransom letter to the American missionary Edie Hasckel in Samokov
who took it to the American diplomats in Istanbul
The talks for the release of Miss Stone were taken up by Charles Dickinson
who was about to receive accreditation as the American diplomatic agent in Bulgaria
the rebels demanded the ransom by late October but the talks get stalled as the American diplomatic service refused to pay the colossal sum
got in a fight with the Bulgarian government over the Miss Stone kidnapping
which resulted in diplomatic tension between Bulgaria and the USA even before the two countries had established diplomatic relations
The Missionary Lobby in DC and Bulgarian-American Relations
the Protestant missionary lobby pressured the US government to act
What they reached was a Solomon's solution – the missionaries collected the money but the government promised to reimburse them subsequently after getting it back either from the rebels or from the respective authorities in the Balkans
the missionaries collected from donations a total of USD 66 000 – or 15 000 gold Turkish lira
decided to haggle with Chernopeev and Asenov offering them only 10 000 Turkish lira
meanwhile also getting in a conflict with the Bulgarian government which he somehow decided to hold accountable for the kidnapping of Miss Stone
refuted the criticism saying there was no proof the Sandanski band was on Bulgarian territory
and that the entire kidnapping was the initiative of VMORO
a sort of an early 20th-century "NGO," to put it that way
As a result of the conflict with Dickinson
the Bulgarian government refused to grant permission for his accreditation as the American representative in Sofia
the entire episode led to a diplomatic scandal between Bulgaria and the United States
before the two countries had even established formal diplomatic relations
did emphasize the importance of having diplomatic ties
rumors that Tsilka died while giving birth and Miss Stone died of sorrow shortly after alarmed the Protestant missionaries who made the American government act more vigorously
the person who was originally supposed to be kidnapped by Sandanski
and the treasurer of the American Council in Istanbul William Pete
The new team decided to offer to the captors all the money they had – 15 000 Turkish lira – and spread rumors this is all they could offer
spent more than 20 years as a Protestant missionary in Bulgaria and the Bulgarian parts of the Ottoman Empire between 1878 and 1901
the fate of the hostages kept making headlines on both sides of the Atlantic
The elderly Miss Stone and the young Tsilka already in her 7th-8th month of pregnancy kept moving with the revolutionaries from village to village evading the Ottoman troops
the Bulgarian police and the bands of the rival revolutionary organization
the other major concern of the Sandanski group was the due date of Tsilka
if the time had come for her to give birth
We had prepared everything two months in advance
and the women knit clothes and made dipers
Tsilka told me that she will give birth in one hour," recounted the voivoda Yane Sandanski some time later
Katerina Tsilka gave birth to a healthy girl whom she named Elena
The birth of the child was celebrated with a feast by the rebels
Turkish troops arrived only three days later
so the rebels carried her and the baby around in a chest
"The rebels must have been quite a picture with their guns and diapers in their backpacks
running around the mountains," one Bulgarian author sums up
Tsilka herself had studied in the United States and took care of her newly born child according to Western medicine – her techniques made an impression on the voivoda Sandanski who remembered everything and is known to have used this knowledge years later
It is at this point that some of the rebels suggested that they should kill the hostages in order to avoid being caught
and prohibited any such course of action with the following words: "If we kill them
and the voivoda instructed Chernopeev and Asenov to finish the ransom talks any way they can because they "had all been fed up."
House and Pete struck a deal with them for a ransom of 14 500 lira – or USD 63 800
This happened on the ninth day after the band had hidden in Vlahi
The head of the American Protestant Missionaries in Thessaloniki
was the original target of the abduction plot
He was later instrumental in completing successfully the talks for the ranson and the release
Sandanski and Asenov met with House in Bansko
House brought the money after he withdrew it from the account of the US State Department in the Ottoman Bank branch in Thessaloniki
He was accompanied by 250 Turkish soldiers
Sandanski brought a letter from Miss Stone
explained to House that the entire abduction was "for a good cause"
and demanded that the Turkish soldiers withdraw before the ransom is delivered
Sandanski and House fashioned a plan to trick them
House was suffering from the same Stockholm Syndrome that Miss Stone had – the American missionaries as a whole are recorded to have supported wholeheartedly the Bulgarian causes in the late 19th century and early 20th century
Sandanski and House told the Turks they agreed to make the transfer in another town to the south but House delivered the money secretly in his pockets to other Protestants in Bansko
The two must have gone back and forth many times since the gold coins weighed a total of 105 kg
House put bullets in the emptied chests and revealed the truth to the Turkish authorities only when they reached the supposed transfer site
Miss Stone and Tsilka were released on February 23
Aftermath of the First Modern Hostage Crisis in American (and Bulgarian) History
Even though the kidnapping had not been formally sanctioned by the VMORO leadership and was an initiative of Sandanski and Chernopeev
the men gave all the money to the leader of the organization Gotse Delchev who paid 2 Turkish lira to each of the members of the Sandanski group
most of the "Miss Stone money" was spent on the fratricidal war against the rival revolutionary organization
suggest that almost half of all the guns – or 7500 guns – used by VMORO's Bulgarian rebels in Macedonia the follwoing year – in the so called Ilinden-Preobrazhenie Uprising of August 1903 (which was the largest Bulgarian uprising against the Ottoman Empire not just in Macedonia but also in general in terms of the number of the participants) – were purchased with money from the ransom
then the Miss Stone ransom money was indeed put to some good use with respect to the Bulgarian fight for freedom and national unification
the Ilinden-Preobrazhenie Uprising was crushed by the vast Ottoman forces
and failed to generate an international intervention for reasons of Great Power politics
Today's Bansko is Bulgaria's most famous mountain resort; in the early 20th century
it is where much of the Miss Stone Affair took place - including the kidnapping and the ransom payment
the Turkish sultan's government was concerned that the Americans will demand the money for the ransom from it because the kidnapping took place on Ottoman territory
The Ottomans instigated a rumor that Miss Stone herself had agreed to be kidnapped
and that the plot had been engineered with the help of Tsilka's husband
It had no legal grounds to demand the ransom money from the Bulgarian government; at the same time
demanding it from the Ottoman government would only encourage the rebels to commit more kidnappings of American missionaries
the US government decided to assume the spending
and to return the money to the missionaries from the US state budget in order to preserve its diplomatic ties with both Bulgaria and the Ottoman Empire
The issue of the Miss Stone ransom was nonetheless a thorny one as between 1908 and 1912
the Senate approved four times a draft bill to that end
which got defeated four times in the House of representatives
Miss Ellen Stone is the first American citizen kidnapped for ransom in modern times
The Miss Stone Affair made headlines in the European and American press for months
did achieve both of their major goals – they did get a sizable sum for arms
and they did focus international attention – especially that in America – on the plight of the Bulgarians and Christians in the Ottoman Empire
It is in this period that US State Secretary John Hay and even President Theodore Roosevelt made statements in favor of the Bulgarians and their cause
Miss Ellen Stone returned to America as an ardent supporter of the cause for the liberation of the Macedonian Bulgarians
and is probably the first woman ever to have experienced what psychologists describe as the Stockholm Syndrome
After her release she provided no information to the Ottoman authorities to help them catch her captors
The American "McLure's Magazine" paid her USD 44 000 (almost as much as her ransom) to publish her memoirs and to do 50 lectures around the States in 1903-1904
Katerina Tsilka's memoirs were also published there under the title "Born among Bandits"
the baby born to Katerina Tsilka in captivity
grew up and married the American consul in Tirana
Katerian Tsilka gave birth to one more daughter and two sons
She died in Tirana in 1952 at the age of 86
The grave of Bulgarian revolutionary Yane Sandanski (1872-1915) is in the Rozhenski Monastery
This photo is from inside the Kordopulova House in the nearby town of Melnik
Yane Sandanski subsequently went through several stages of his revolutionary career
including as a supporter of an independent and multinational Macedonian state around the time of the Young Turks' Revolution in 1908
By the time of the Balkan Wars of 1912-1913
he had returned to his positions for uniting the Bulgarians in Macedonia with the free Bulgarian lands
He was killed in 1915 by a rival faction in VMORO
as the leader of one of the warring factions
Sandanski himself ordered the assassinations of rival group leaders
he remains one of the most revered Bulgarian revolutionary heros
with numerous folklore songs dedicated to him
"To live means to fight: the slave fights for freedom
is engraved on his tomb in Southwest Bulgaria
named after him (as there is a town named after his fellow revolutionary Gotse Delchev)
The title of the book of British author Mercia MacDermott dedicated to him
For Freedom and Perfection (the life of Yan
Hristo Chernopeev was killed in battle in the First World War on the Balkan front as an officer in the Bulgarian Army
Krastyo Asenov was murdered by his own subordinates during the Ilinden Uprising in 1903 at the age of 26 because he chose to get married during the uprising
He was killed at his wedding because the other rebels were enraged that he chose to get married then
Miss Stone outlived all of her captors dying in 1927 at 81
She never came back to Bulgaria after 1902 despite her pledge to donate money for a Bulgarian schools
An estimated 26 000 Bulgarian rebels took part in the largest Bulgarian uprising against the Ottoman Empire
the Ilinden-Preobrazhenie Uprising of August 1903
on a territory in Macedonia and Thrace spanning from the Ohrid Lake to the Black Sea
The rebels were defeated by superior Ottoman forces with modern artillery
and Great Power politics prevented Bulgaria from intervening to their aid
The Uprising received public support in the United States
which is testified by a number of favorable press articles and reports in the American papers at the time
Despite its elements of both terrorism and comedy
perhaps the underlying theme of The Miss Stone Affair is that its characters had a sad fate
When one thinks of the the terrorist approaches
the kidnapping and extortion employed by the VMORO fighters
one should not forget that those men sacrificed themselves
their happiness in the struggle for freedom
The premature ends of their lives were a testimony to their integrity to fight for their rights and freedoms
they had seen little good in order to resort to taking up arms
and to wander around the mountains of the Balkans chased by bloodthirsty Ottomans
The greatest proof of the high ideals and integrity of their cause
is the support they received from their victim
she would be a mere witness to the events and developments in the Balkan Ottoman provinces at the time
But history so happened that she became a major player taken the story of the courageous rebels who cooked her a Thanksgiving dinner all the way across America
While the rebels led by Sandanski did achieve immediate goals
they failed to achieve much in terms of their underlying objectives – the unity of all Bulgarians in the Balkans into one nation-state
This was actually a wider failure for Bulgaria – whose dreams for national unity and prosperity collapsed in the Wars of 1912-1918
"The Miss Stone Affair" remains an amazing story with amazing protagonists
it did contribute a great deal to stimulating the formal Bulgarian-American diplomatic relations – and actually hurt them much less that one would have thought – largely because in that period those Americans who had gotten in touch with Balkans were widely sympathetic to the Bulgarians and their national cause
(Or possibly the extra ten thousand.) That trip to Bulgaria was one of the highlights of my life
I came away from that experience feeling a very warm kinship with the Bulgarian people...," contemporary Pulitzer-prize winning
bestselling American author Teresa Carpenter told me in her email
The following post can be found to be made by Ms
Carpenter on the amazon.com website with respect to the comments posted there on her books
The Miss Stone Affair: America's First Modern Hostage Crisis
Carpenter's comments speak for themselves – but those not familiar with Balkan history
representatives of the Macedonian nation formally set up in 1944
40 years after the "Miss Stone Affair" have tried to appropriate this episode of history as belonging to their own – or
Carpenter suggests – to rewrite history in a way that is more favorable to Serbs and Greeks
The research of the American author has demonstrated that in 1901 the region of Macedonia was populated mostly by Bulgarians
people revered today by two nations – Bulgaria and the so called Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia – were Bulgarians
I was really going to steer clear of politics when re-telling the Miss Stone story – but I believe this point here is worth mentioning since Ms
Carpenter decided to "set the record straight" herself
(from http://www.amazon.com/Miss-Stone-Affair-Americas-Hostage/dp/0743258053 )
By Teresa Carpenter "cafe reader" (New York,NY USA) - See all my reviews
This review is from: The Miss Stone Affair: America's First Modern Hostage Crisis (Paperback)
I feel compelled to correct two outrageous claims made by anonymous reviewers here on Amazon concerning the identity of the kidnappers of an American missionary woman in the amazing 1901 case I chronicle
One asserts that there is "One very important error" in the book
namely that Bulgarians never lived in this part of Macedonia and that the kidnappers were not Bulgarian." The other alleges
that "Bulgarians never lived on this part of the Balkan peninsula." I cannot imagine how they can write this with a straight face when Bulgarians were so clearly the dominant force in the region during the time of the Stone kidnapping in 1901
I suspect the assertions of these "reviewers" are part of a partisan attempt to rewrite history more favorably to Serbs and Greeks
and that is probably why they do not have the courage to sign their names
Thank you for allowing me to set the record straight."
for the Bulgaria-US Survey of Novinite.com (Sofia News Agency)
Chief of the Office of the US Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) in Istanbul
Chief of the Office of Defense Cooperation at the US Embassy in Sofia
Exclusive interview of Novinite.com (Sofia News Agency) with Community Liaison Officer with the US Embassy
a consul at the Consular Section of the US Embassy in Sofia
Interview with former US Assistant Secretary of State Robert Gelbard for the Bulgaria-US Survey of Novinite.com (Sofia News Agency)
Five teams have already progressed to the main round at the 2022 IHF Women’s Youth (U18) World Championship after the second day of competition as North Macedonia
Portugal and Egypt sealed their berths after winning two games in the preliminary round
Monday could see no less than seven teams progressing to the next phase of the competition
as the day is highlighted by two interesting ties: Germany facing the Republic of Korea in Group F
while Hungary playing against Spain in Group H
provided they both win their matches on Monday
where they scored the largest amount of goals in the competition since a 42-goal outing against Uzbekistan in 2014
where they will be favoured after their counterparts conceded a tough 17:31 loss against the Netherlands on Saturday
the Dutch side aim to extend their five-tournament streak with a top 10 finish at the IHF Women’s Youth World Championship
as the first step is building a two-game winning streak against Guinea
The African side made their debut on Saturday and displayed some impressive attacking prowess
but the lack of experience and miscues in defence
where they conceded the fifth-largest number of goals in the tournament
who also featured at the IHF Women’s Junior (U20) World Championship last month
the Netherlands side hav the experience needed to secure a great finish in the competition
Germany and the Republic of Korea face off in a crunch game
which will likely decide the first team to progress to the main round
While Germany had their share of trouble in the first 15 minutes against Slovakia but went on to secure a clear 39:18 win
the second-largest on the first day of competition
The Republic of Korea clinched a 32:28 win against Switzerland
with two players – Minseo Kim and Seojin Kim – combining for 23 goals
as they will surely pose some questions to Germany
the two teams who lost their respective first match
as the loser will virtually be out of contention for a main round berth
Switzerland had a strong outing against Korea in their maiden game in the competition
while Slovakia’s heavy loss will definitely put a dent in their morale as they approach the decider on Monday
as Norway and Czech Republic are level on two points
If both teams also win their second games on Monday
they will seal their main round berths with one group match to go
who entered the competition hoping to go far
had no problems in their opening game against Brazil
Now they will face another South American team
who proved to be a hard nut to crack for Czech Republic
but the outcome might have been quite different
they are determined now to claim their second straight win against Brazil
both teams progressing to the main round might also be named already today
France and Hungary opened the championship with victories
and if both sides add two more points to their tally
who defeated Spain in an exciting game on Friday
will now be seen as favourites against Argentina
Hungary and Spain are expected to play a hard-fought match
and while the silver medallists from Poland 2018
Six main round spots can already be clinched on the second day of the 2022 IHF Women’s Youth World Championship
as 16 teams collide in the first four groups of the preliminary round
hosts North Macedonia can seal their best-ever finish in the competition with another win against Uzbekistan
while hot favourites Denmark can also progress to the next round provided they win against the Faroe Islands and Portugal do not lose against Austria
who beat Sweden in their first ever match at this level
hope to develop their success in the next game against Montenegro
who opened their campaign with a confident win against Algeria
The winner of their evening clash will make a big step towards the main round
Sweden hope to bounce back in the match against Algeria
who also badly need points to stay in contention for a main round spot
home side North Macedonia and the World Championship debutants Islamic Republic of Iran top the group with two points
North Macedonia comfortably defeated Senegal 31:14 and now are seen as strong favourites against Uzbekistan
Iran became the only team to hit the 40-goal mark on Saturday
and it should give the Asian team a moral boost before they face Senegal in a duel of debutants
Wins for Denmark and Portugal would see them through to the main round at North Macedonia 2022
after they have already sealed two points in their first games
Denmark started strong and never looked back against Austria
which seems to be the norm in every age category
The Danish side ranks eighth in terms of goals conceded after the first day of competition
as the other sides will face stronger opponents
the Faroe Islands conceded a 29:24 loss against Portugal in their debut and will face a tougher opponent now
but Lukka Arge is one of the seven players to score at least 10 goals in the competition in the first match
Portugal will look to secure their main round berth with a win against Austria
eyeing to improve their best-ever result at the IHF Women’s Youth World Championship
scoring 29 goals against the Faroe Islands
but Austria also eye a win to make their comeback in the mix for a main round spot
as coach Simona Spiridon has been happy with her team’s performance against Denmark in the second half
After winning two friendly games against the Czech Republic and another two against Slovakia
Egypt looked to be a dark horse in this championship
The assumption was duly confirmed against Croatia in the opener on Saturday
only their third ever against a European side at the IHF Women’s Youth World Championship
they can progress to the next phase of the competition with a win
That would be an amazing result for a team whose best performance in the competition is the ninth place sealed in 2016
as their game against India was cancelled due to the latter side’s travel problems
India will make their debut on Sunday against Croatia
as the European side need to win their next two matches to progress to the main round
Croatia will rely once again on Andjela Zagar and Iva Zrilic
the two backs who combined for 19 goals on Saturday
as the IHF Women’s Youth World Championship finally returns after a four-year hiatus caused by the COVID-19 pandemic
This is the first-ever IHF Women’s Youth World Championship with 32 teams at the start
with 116 games spread over the next 10 days
deciding who will be the new world champions
This a question that will find its answer in Skopje
as three venues host the 32 best sides in the world right now
Two teams with roughly the same style face off at the start of Group A
trying to undo their results from the friendly matches and start fresh at North Macedonia 2022
The Scandinavian side conceded three hard losses – 17:31 against Hungary
17:28 against Norway and 19:22 against Denmark – in the Scandinavian Open
Coached by one of the top players in the country’s history
Montenegro will look to bring the same intensity and grit in defence as they displayed every time they took the court
Playing against a rookie in Algeria in their first game of the competition surely will help
as Montenegro are definitely favoured in the match
Big expectations are earmarked for the hosts
who will look to improve their best finish in the competition
the 17th place secured in 2014 when they also hosted the tournament
A win against Senegal in the opening match will be a must
but progressing to the main round from a group where they are favourites is going to ensure completing the objective
one of the eight debutants in the competition
face Uzbekistan in what could bring their first-ever win at the IHF Women’s Youth World Championship
The two sides faced in March at the 2022 Asian Women's Youth Handball Championship when Iran took a 44:35 win against their next opponents
Denmark topped off the Scandinavian Open with wins against Sweden and Hungary
but the loss against Norway is definitely going to put some serious questions to the coaching staff
the Scandinavian side are surely favourites in this group
the Faroe Islands dream of a superb debut against Portugal
but their lack of experience could be their undoing
Portugal will be looking to deliver their best result yet at the IHF Women’s Youth World Championship
Egypt might be one of the dark horses of the competition
after securing two wins in friendly matches against both Slovakia and the Czech Republic
which will surely see Croatia closely monitoring and analysing their first opponents in the competition
While the two favourites in the group face off
Kazakhstan and India will also play an important match
as they try to improve their finishing position
UPDATE: The match Kazakhstan vs India will not be played as India did not arrive in time due to flight issues
Kazakhstan record a 10:0 forfait win and two points
Romania won their first-ever gold medal in the competition
who has developed plenty of stars in the past decades
is back at the helm of the team and will look to start fresh against Guinea
who will be coached in this tournament by Ricardo Clarijs
the mastermind behind the bronze medal last month at the IHF Women’s Junior World Championship
is surely looking to bring the same intensity to the table
The Netherlands have won a single medal in the competition
Germany will be entering North Macedonia 2022 with huge expectations
after their second-place finish at the W17 EHF EURO 2021
a four-goal loss in a friendly game against Spain left them scratching their heads as to what needs to be improved before the start of the competition
especially as Germany want to emulate their performances from eight years ago when they finished second at North Macedonia 2014
The Republic of Korea have traditionally been one of the teams to watch at the IHF Women’s Youth World Championship
having never finished outside the top 10 in the previous seven editions played
Facing a rookie in Switzerland means that the Asian side should be favoured
but the European side impressed in their last outings
despite conceding tough losses against Spain and Germany in friendly matches
Norway are definitely favoured in this group but will have the toughest start
when they meet the 2022 South and Central American Youth Championship winners
Norway recorded wins against Denmark and Sweden in the Scandinavian Open but lost heavily against Hungary
yet they will be the favourites in this game
the Czech Republic face an inexperienced Uruguay team
but their friendly match results were totally unsatisfactory
but the improvement failed to materialise when France beat the Czech Republic in two more friendly matches
The most balanced group in the competition throws off with a fiery clash between France and Spain
two sides that have definitely relied on defence in the past and will try to cancel each other
After a loss against the Netherlands in a friendly game
two against Croatia and two against the Czech Republic and
will be heavily favoured against Argentina
as the W17 EHF EURO 2021 winners will have no room for mistake in a group where every mistake will count immensely
On the fourth day of Easter Sandanski celebrates its town holiday
This year for the celebration the municipality has provided as usual a rich program
is the legend for which the southern Bulgarian city celebrated precisely in the first Thursday after Easter
the local ruler Ismail Bay forbade Christians in the city to celebrate the lightest holiday in the 19th century
Despite pleading he would not relent and forbidden to be celebrated in any way Easter in the city
Do not help even the intercession on behalf of his mother
who urged her son to allow the celebration
Turkish ruler even hired security guards to make sure that his order is observed
Sandanska Bistritsa River overflowed and took away the entire property of the adamant Bay
Then the mother of the ruler stated that this adversity is a sign of God and to appease шге Lord must allow the Christians to celebrate Easter
So one day later Bey issued a new order – Easter celebrations were allowed
So the Christians celebrated the holy day on the fourth day after Easter
Since then Sandanski city celebrates its feast in the church “St
the old monastery where according to legend
the population of the town beseeched the Bey to allow them to celebrate Easter
residents and guests of the Sandanski have a chance to go to the Craft’s Alley
everyone can find products made according to the customs and traditions of the old Bulgarians
get original souvenirs or just listen to native music
or buy t-shirts with embroidered embroidery
You can also buy home-made honey or just enjoy the lived Bulgarian traditions and customs
The Craft Alley is located in the park of St
to smell the air of the past times and to feel the legends in the air
And I'm lucky to have been born in a country with a glorious past and a lot of stories to tell
Bulgaria was founded more than 1,300 years ago and has never changed its name
their music and their art have changed over the centuries
I invite you to take a walk through the different ages of Bulgaria and to get to know it better
with the detachment of the Neurokop voivode Stoyan Filipov
Yane Sandanski fell into an ambush and was killed
After the defeat of the Kresna-Razlozh uprising in 1878-1879
his parents moved to Dupnitsa and he received his primary education there
while at the same time he did not stop educating himself
He became involved in the national liberation struggle of the Bulgarians from Macedonia at the end of the 90s of the 19th century
He traveled to Macedonia several times with his troops in order to help speed up the process of building revolutionary committees in the various settlements
he is also making efforts to procure weapons and funds for the organization
One of his most daring actions in this direction is the famous "Miss Stone" affair
on the road between Bansko and Gorna Jumaya
The kidnappers demanded a ransom from Turkey
With the 14,500 gold Turkish liras received on January 18
Jane Sandanski did not approve of the decision made by the Thessaloniki Congress for an uprising in Macedonia and Odrin in the spring of 1903
he did not oppose and was actively involved in the preparation of the Ilinden-Preobrazhensky uprising of 1903
Yane Sandanski established himself as one of the leaders of the left in the Internal Macedonian-Edirne Revolutionary Organization
Tatarchev during the organization's Rila Congress in 1905
the left tried to impose its views on the decisions made by the congress and the new statute adopted by it
Kharlakov joined the group of the Sersky Revolutionary District and influenced Sandanski's behavior
The leftists insist on over-nationality and decentralization in the Organization
at which Sandanski and his supporters initiated the split in the Organization
Sandanski went to extremes and in November 1907 ordered the murder of two of its leaders - Ivan Garvanov and Boris Sarafov
This marks the beginning of the fratricidal war between the two currents
which did not subside even after the end of the First World War 1914-1918
Yane Sandanski was expelled from the organization and sentenced to death
After the Young Turk Revolution in June 1908
Sandanski also came out of illegality and in many places the weapon entrusted to him was handed over to the authorities
the Young Turks began a large-scale campaign to destroy the VMRO
Sandanski continued to receive money from the Turks every month
He became one of the founders and leaders of the People's Federal Party
which stood behind the idea of an independent Macedonia within a South Slavic federation
he supported the advance of the Bulgarian troops
in an ambush by the regional neurocop company of the Military Intelligence Service
More news from Bulgaria
who was severely injured in a blast in southern Bulgaria
The powerful blast went off in the wee hours of June 29 in front of the Euroroma Sandanski office
Iliev was listed in the Sandanski hospital in critical condition and with severe trauma and later transported for intensive care in Sofia
Local Euroroma head Toni Angelov expressed fears that the blast might have been ethnically motivated
but the Blagoevgrad region police commissioner Georgi Kostov refuted such claims
saying the man was passing near the office accidentally
Iliev noticed the package by the door and lifted it
Four suspects were arrested just hours after the explosion when police detected traces of the same explosives used in the blast on the suspects' hands
Bulgarian Interior Minister Tsvetan Tsvetanov insists that
even though the bomb went off in front of the office of the Euroroma political party
there were no political motives behind the criminal act
The four are being held in permanent detention
the director of the Plovdiv Customs Office
was arrested earlier today for allegedly facilitating a new smuggling route for cigarettes
opened fire with a gas pistol near a kindergarten in Sofia's Lyulin district
The death toll from the car attack at a Filipino heritage festival in Vancouver has increased to 11
Bulgarian Interior Minister Daniel Mitov has described the case of the man who died in police custody in Kazanlak as “a disgrace” to the Ministry of Interior
Militants opened fire on civilians in the Indian-administered region of Kashmir
Residents affected by the recent demolition of illegal structures in Sofia’s "Zaharna Fabrika" neighborhood staged a protest on Tuesday in front of the Ilinden district administration building
An 18-year-old girl who had been reported missing in Haskovo has been found dead
A 12-year-old boy from Lukovit has been hospitalized with two broken arms and head injuries after reportedly being assaulted and thrown from a bridge
The Sofia Police has launched a targeted operation against drivers of electric scooters and electric motorbikes who engage in reckless behavior in the city's central areas
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the 9th edition of the IHF Women’s Youth (U18) Handball World Championship will feature 32 teams for the first time
who will play overall 116 games in the three venues Boris Trajkovski
Jane Sandanski Hall 1 and Jane Sandanski Hall 2
with the finals taking place on Wednesday 10 August
For all territories without rights-holder agreements, all games will be streamed live via the official IHF - Competitions YouTube channel
Please note that these territories are subject to updates throughout North Macedonia 2022 and geo-blocking will occur if/when a broadcast agreement is reached
Islamic Republic of Iran: VOA (all Iran matches live)
Bulgaria's police unit for countering organized crime has seized more than a kilogram of cocaine at the time of a deal being carried out in the town of Sandanski close to the Greek-Bulgarian border
A total of four people have been detained so far
It has been established that a woman tried to buy the drugs from a man with a criminal record from Veliko Tarnovo
During a search of the apartment from which the cocaine was sent a sum of nearly BGN 170,000 was found
Different addresses in several cities were checked
Foreign Minister Georg Georgiev has left for Washington
where he will participate in the Munich Leaders Meeting (May 5-7
The forum is organised by the Munich Security Conference
The foundation Unity- Kočani has sent an open letter to key Bulgarian institutions
expressing gratitude for the support and humanitarian assistance provided by Bulgaria after the tragedy of the fire at a nightclub in Kočani
The foreign ministers of Bulgaria and Greece Georg Georgiev and Giorgos Gerapetritis signed a joint declaration on the use of the waters of the river Arda on 2 May
the BNR reports citing an announcement published by the Greek Foreign Ministry..
people will be able to withdraw money from ATMs only in the new currency
according to the website of the Bulgarian.
helicopters of the Bulgarian Air Force will fly at low altitude over Sofia in preparation for a military parade marking the Day.
The Bulgarian student teams that participated in the European Olympiad of Experimental Sciences EOES 2025 in Zagreb have returned with.
english@bnr.bg
25 favorite Macedonian songs will be featured during the anniversary quarter of the Pirin Folk Festival
The event will be held from 25th to 27th August at the Summer Theater in Sandanski
The start of each program starts at 08.30 p.m
Selected emblematic song from the history of the event have been awarded or are still in the heart of the audience will be performed
guest performers will be Volodya Stoyanov – Vojvoda
The concert evening on August 26 will return to the stage with performances Sashka Vaseva
the audience will enjoy Sevdalina and Valentin Spasovi
For the first time in Sandanski will be held a competition for small performers – Children’s Pirin Folk
Hosts of the festival will be Nikolay Nikolov and Daniela Koleva
Pirin Folk will also offer a rich dance program
You can enjoy the performances of Chinari Ensemble
Municipal Dance Festival Makedontsi Folklore Dance Schools and Folk Dance Schools
The selection of the competition songs is also very strong
For prizes with original songs will compete Ilian Mihov – Barevitsa
The interest in the festival filled the hotels in Sandanski
One of the most favorite places for the tourists to stay is one of the best hotels in Bulgaria – the five-star Park Hotel Pirin in Sandanski
The five-star “Park Hotel Pirin” in Sandanski will have a new building
The reason is the lack of enough rooms to meet the demand of the customers
That explained Stefan Sharlopov businessman who owns the chain Sharlopov hotels and is Chairman of the Bulgarian Union of Balneology and spa
The investment in the expansion of the luxury hotel will exceed 3.5 million leva or approximately 1,8 million euro
The construction of the new building should be finalized by year and a half
Within days will be chosen the builder among seven local companies involved in the competition
The project will be presented on March 24 in Sandanski and is supported by the Mayor Kiril Kotev and the candidate for the parliament from GERB and former Deputy Tourism Minister Alexander Manolev as important for the development of the region
the hotel has 100 rooms and en suite complex with 57 owners
enough to satisfy the whims of the guests of the new 60 rooms
“Sandanski has a lot to offer tourists – mineral water
sunny and warm days during most of the year
a unique climate and as I promised its citizens will continue to invest in this city,” explained the reason for the new investment Sharlopov
Bulgarian spa resorts of Sandanski and Velingrad are expected to be full on Easter (May 2) and St
The owners of local hotels and restaurants follow the health regulations related to the coronavirus pandemic and the prices remain unchanged
many Bulgarians have chosen Sandanski and Velingrad for the holidays
And the so-called post-Covid recovery programs offered in the two resorts are a good opportunity to restart spa tourism in Bulgaria
The bed capacity in the hotels and guest houses in Sandanski is approximately 4,000 beds
and occupancy is expected to be over 90 percent
says Georgi Kunchev – deputy chairman of the association of hoteliers in the Sandanski
adding: "We see light at the end of the tunnel and I think things will turn out quite well for Easter."
cultural and historical landmarks are also an attraction for tourists
Wine tourism in the vicinity of Sandanski has not stopped developing in recent years
They produce unique wines and welcome tourists from around the world
foreign tourists who visited Sandanski were over 60%
and now there are very few guests from abroad
Local hoteliers also rely heavily on visitors from Bulgaria’s neighbouring countries
restrictions be removed so Greeks and Macedonians can start travelling again
We keep in touch with colleagues from the industry in both countries
and we are eagerly waiting for things to resume.”
All hotels are prepared to welcome guests for the Easter holidays in the other favourite destination for Bulgarian tourists - the Rhodope spa resort Velingrad
The spring period is traditionally weaker for the resort town and the occupancy of the accommodation bases is expected to be around 70 percent
chairman of the local Association of Hoteliers
this spring there are indications to cancel reservations in the town in favour of Greek resorts
The Bulgarian government must at all costs open green corridors for travellers from Russia and Romania to compensate for this deficit
The Association of Hoteliers believes that Velingrad is the fastest recovering destination
They ensure that guests are well cared for in smaller facilities
Those working in the industry emphasize the additional attractions and alternative forms of tourism
"We already have many beautiful small farms in the villages
whose owners are learning how to be attractive and draw the interest of tourists
The dams around us are also starting to develop faster as tourist destinations
Amidst the pandemic people are already looking for privacy and smaller hotels and guest houses," says Zlatko Zlatanov in conclusion
Bulgaria’s Minister of Tourism Miroslav Borshosh and Zurab Pololikashvili
Secretary-General of the World Tourism Organization (UN Tourism)
have officially signed the agreement for Bulgaria to host the 9th Global Conference on Wine Tourism,.
The Mini Bulgaria Park is an unusual place for a tourist tour
spiritual culture and natural landmarks of Bulgaria meet
Gorna Oryahovitsa often remains undeservedly hidden from the eyes of tourists
even though it is only about 10 km away from Bulgaria's old capital
which lies at the foot of the Balkans on the banks of the.
RIEW - Blagoevgrad made an inspection in reaction to a signal for excavation activities and destruction of trees in the protected area - natural landmark “Melnik Pyramids”
upon intervention by the Minister of Environment and Water Borislav Sandov
employees of the State Forestry – Sandanski
It was established on-site that the protected area within the range of the slope and the adjacent dry coulee had been affected
The earth from the slope had been used for backfilling and the terrain had been leveled
The affected area covers about 2 decares and is located in the immediate proximity of the “St
The woody vegetation that had been removed within the affected area was confiscated by State Forestry - Sandanski
The damaged area falls within the boundaries of a protected area within the meaning of the Protected Areas Act and is within the scope of two protected zones – the “Melnik Pyramids” for wildlife conservation
and “Sreden Pirin – Alibotush” for conservation of natural habitats
RIEW - Blagoevgrad will refer the established violations to the prosecutor’s office
there have been other similar violations in the vicinity of the illegal actions established today
so the inspection expects the prosecutor’s office and the police to find the violator this time
The Bulgarians usually relate the town of Sandanski with the warmth of the South
the Mediterranean flora that is not typical for this country and with the mineral springs at the foot of the Pirin Mountain
The town is also situated only 100 km away from the magnificent Greek beaches
there are people that opt for a visit to Sandanski due to its history and the legend of Spartacus
The bronze monument of the ancient hero at the entrance of the city park has become a symbol of the resort
Some parents decided to give the same name to their newly born babies
No wonder that the locals are proud of their celebrity
since historical sources give them that right
The first written records on the region mention that the valley of the Struma /Strimon/ River was inhabited by the Thracian Maedi tribe
This territory was Roman during the 2nd century BC
Supposedly Spartacus was born somewhere here
along the river’s valley and in this tribe
who lived in the 1st century AD also mentioned that
Ziegler confirmed that theory too during the 1970s through the translation and interpretation of a lost text
reading that Spartacus had been one of the Maedi tribe
says Director of Sandanski’s Museum of History Vladimir Petkov
It is presumed that Spartacus was captured by the Romans during the invasion of their legions in this part of the Balkans
He was later sold as a slave and taken to the Italian Peninsula
owner of one of the biggest schools for gladiators noticed the unusual strength and beauty of the young slave and… we all know the following story
writers and directors have been inspired for centuries by the legend of the leader of one of the greatest uprising of slaves in human history
Sandanski’s municipal administration and local entrepreneurs have prepared a project
aiming at the popularization of the town’s antique history
where Spartacus was supposedly sold will be restored for that purpose
It is situated in the village of Sklave nearby
The name of the village originates from the Latin word sclavus
Sandanski’s Deputy Mayor Mladen Timchev gives us more curious details:
“History and artifacts say that a slave market took place in the village of Sklave around the June solstice
The funny thing is that a traditional fair still takes place in Sklave during these days
So we will try to recreate the ancient market with some interesting animation and with the support of theatre formations and our consultants – historians and archaeologists.”
The tourist route will also include other spots
related to the ancient times of gladiator fights
Theatres were the most attractive places for people in Antiquity
One can find the very well preserved remains of a magnificent Ancient theatre downtown Sandanski
It is supposed that gladiator’s fights took place there
“When the Roman Empire conquered the Balkans
gladiator fights became part of the ancient towns’ everyday life"
"Men started to join gladiator schools and then to take part in these attractions
to get the guests acquainted with the different types of gladiators and to help them feel the authentic atmosphere of the past.”
The Sandanski Municipality expects that the project will attract more guests in the region
In the meantime Greek tour operators have already included Sklave in their 2013 routes
Tourists will also have the chance to visit other ancient and early Christian landmarks – for instance
situated in the heart of Sandanski with the remains of a bishop’s basilica from the 5-6 century
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Capturing spring in Bulgaria: A blooming season through our lens
Spring in Bulgaria is a time of vibrant renewal
marked by blooming flowers and milder weather
the countryside transforms with colorful wildflowers such as snowdrops
Cities and villages alike celebrate the season
» See all photos
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Mihai Pavićević's team defeated MZT for the third triumph of the season
Mornar's three-game losing streak in the AdmiralBet ABA League was ended in Skopje
achieved their third triumph in the regional competition
so after six rounds they are at half-performance
Mihailo Pavićević's team was in a good attacking rhythm all the time in the "Jane Sandanski" hall
but it was only in the third quarter that they made the difference that launched them to victory - in that period
they received the same number of points in 10 minutes
Mornar had a streak of 14:0 with which he went from minus one to plus 13 (67:54)
this season Mornar as a team was at an excellent level
so five players had a double-digit performance
Vladimir Mihailović finished the match with 25 points