Gábor Demeter
(Summary)
The situation of the three Macedonian vilayets has been traced conscientiously
by Austro-Hungarian authorities at the turn of the century
according to the consular reports of the HHStA and the series of reports
published in Diplomatische Aktenstücke in 1906. These included
observations on schooling, ethnic and religious situations prior to
the outbreak of the Ilinden revolt.
These documents testify that Austria-
Hungary wanted to exploit the growing unrest for its own political
purposes by initiating a reform plan that would give the right for Vienna
to interfere into the internal affairs of Ottoman Turkey, maintaining
its integrity under the aegis of a humanitarian intervention together
with Russia.
This is highlighted by the fact that several versions of
ethnic maps and conscription of schools did exist at the turn of the
century in the Austrian consular agencies with often contradictory or
manipulated contents, depending on the actual political relations towards
the Ottomans and Bulgaria. The worsening economic situation
in Macedonia was also detected by the local Austro-Hungarian authorities,
and this, together with the increasing observations on political
and “everyday” violence and migration gave a good pretext to intervene
together with Russia, as the Ottoman reform plans in 1902 were
considered unsatisfactory both by the Powers and the Bulgarians.
Knowing the Austro-Russian endeavour to intervene, and considering the plans of the Powers unsatisfactory, the IMARO acted prematurely
fearing of a modest agreement between Ottomans and the Powers over
Macedonia.
Keywords: Аustrian plans, Bulgarians, Ilinden, Macedonia, Mürzsteg
Agreement, the Gołuchowski-Muravyov pact of 1897, IMARO
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