BULGARIAN-SPEAKING MUSLIMS - Lalev

control Bosnia-Herzegovina and the Straits of Bosphorus. As Hall aptly observes, “The Young Turk
revolt and the celebration of Ottoman nationhood raised concerns in the Balkan capitals [and
beyond] that the Balkan populations in a reformed Turkey would be less susceptible to their
nationalistic blandishments.” 15
Both Bulgaria and Serbia felt the need to act together in defense of their shared interests
before the Young Turks’ reforms could produce any meaningful results. Russia, for its part, desired a
Balkan alliance against the Austrians and the Ottomans in order to bolster its own position on the
Peninsula. Thus, pressured by nationalist concerns on one side and by Russia on another, Bulgaria
and Serbia finally signed an agreement in March 1912. In addition to providing for military
cooperation against both Austria-Hungary and Turkey, it recognized Bulgarian interests in Thrace
and Serbian interest in Kosovo and Albania, while also including provisions on Macedonia. The
Macedonian question, however, was particularly difficult. The two nations nevertheless agreed that if
independence could not be achieved, they would divide Macedonia between themselves. This
arrangement satisfied the Bulgarian authorities because they believed that an initially autonomous
Macedonia could be subsequently annexed. 16
Serbia, on the other hand, was not very enthusiastic about the treaty since the country
harbored its own aspirations for Macedonia. Thus, the agreement for military cooperation stood on
shaky grounds from the start. Meanwhile Bulgaria responded positively to Greece’s overtures to join
the pact. Since neither Bulgaria nor Serbia was a viable maritime power, the allies needed the Greek
navy to police the waters of the Aegean and to hinder the Ottomans from provisioning their forces
and from transferring more troops to Europe. Thus, a separate treaty of cooperation was signed
between Bulgaria and Greece in May 1912. Whereas Bulgaria took care to formalize its alliance with
Montenegro as with Serbia and Greece, the relationship among the later nations stood largely on oral
15 Hall, 7. For details on the Young Turks and Turkish nationalism, see Erik Jan Zürcher, The Young Turk Legacy
and Nation Building: From the Ottoman Empire to Ataturk's Turkey (London: I.B. Tauris, 2010).
16 Hall, 1-21; Crampton, 150-219.
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