Аustrian plans on the pacification of the Balkans before and after the Mürzsteg agreement

АUSTRIAN PLANS ON THE PACIFICATION OF THE BALKANS BEFORE AND AFTER THE MÜRZSTEG AGREEMENT 

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