What do the rest of the Balkans think of the Bulgarians? They've fought with several neighbors in the past, do you think these hatreds have healed over time?
Posted by Pino_il_postino_@reddit | AskBalkans | View on Reddit | 155 comments
Archaeopteryx111@reddit
Great neighbor. Nothing but positive vibes.
afewnameslater@reddit
Romania bros for life. Its funny each country points at the other and says “I want to be like them”
Mysterious-Day8966@reddit
Same thoughts about you. I love Romania ❤️
tojoreee@reddit
We all do
afewnameslater@reddit
You got that wrong, several neighbors for against us. Read your history.
gligix@reddit
Emi aaaaaarni see
Lovehate I guess?
Seriously now, the ones I met were nice people :)
Sekalino@reddit
“They’ve fought with several neighbors in the past…“
Whaaat? Omg I cant believe the evil Bulgarians would do sth like that. Very much unlike literally EVERY OTHER country in the Balkans.
Secret-Size6556@reddit
Romania never fought a battle to conquer new territory. Not under any name. Historically there have been just defensive battles or to regain occupied territory.
Bulgaria had a conquest idea of the neighborhood countries but it ended by Romania entering the war and ending it.
Demonius999@reddit
Well, not the same. Bulgaria tend to change sides few times during the war at crutial moments, usually end up with stabbing allies in the back. At least that's reputation in my country, and it's strange that we still never tought about Bulgarians as enemies. Personally, I think that Bulgarians are same as any other Balkan people, warm, hospitable, and just a bit crazy.
BKrustev@reddit
Yeah, the question is weird cause we've all pretty much fought each other, allied each other, betrayed each other... basically like any disfunctional family 😃
Sekalino@reddit
Shh don’t call us family you’re gonna upset the … family.
BKrustev@reddit
You are absolutely right, bro ;P
Pino_il_postino_@reddit (OP)
I have nothing against Bulgarians, I could have asked this question to any other Balkan nation, but for this time I decided on Bulgaria
Sekalino@reddit
Sorry mate my comment was irony/sarcasm.
Br4tdoll18@reddit
Most people just think of them as the guys who ruin our vacation traffic on the way to the seaside. The history stuff is mostly just online shitposting for engagement at this point.
EL_ProfessionalHater@reddit
Most corrupt and trash road police ever.
If your plates read anything but BG, it gonna cost you 100€
Also in rush hours you get unsolicited windshield "wash" with sewer water by annoying kids
Besides that, bulgarians are actually nice.
herakababy@reddit
The first time in my life I saw the window washing romanis was in Thessaloniki tbh
EL_ProfessionalHater@reddit
Could be, yes.
I still don't understand the reflexive responses to my comment about cops and romanis while OP asked for opinions regarding BG, it's not like i spread missinformation or i target bulgaria.
Some understood, others took it personal and felt the need to strike back with sort of unsolicited affirmations.
In Greece most people are poor af, they drive bikes/scooters mostly, if you see someone driving a decent car he's either top 1% in that city or isn't even living in Greece, also the chance of them driving from one city to another is low, so incidents with cops/romanis happen less, simple logic.
BKrustev@reddit
Greek road police does the same.
EL_ProfessionalHater@reddit
Yes, not as often, but yes.
In Greece is more about what kind of car you drive and less about what your plate reads.
This_Lion5856@reddit
Pretty much the same in Bulgaria tbf. Used to drive an old Opel Corsa and havent been stopped a single time.
A friend of mine drives a new BMW and gets stopped almost daily.
Not sure how it goes in relation to the plates, but I dont think this is Bulgarian- specific and more of a wider Balkan thing. Most of my friends get stopped almost every single time in Serbia and very often in Romania aswell.
EL_ProfessionalHater@reddit
In romania the young generation of cops are totally against bribing. I was surprised. They also tend to give you a simple warning if you know how to talk your way out of the ticket.
Yes, the car model applies almost universally everywere. But about the plate discrimination, it kinda happens more in BG than other countries... went by car in every balkan country.
My dad was driving the newest Audi A8 model back when he was the one driving and his 2 friends were stopped by the police, one of them had a porsche, the other a dacia sandero. All 3 cars had to pay 200 LEV (\~100€) each. At least there was no car brand discrimination.
We're still better than african countries. Been in senegal once and we were stopped "randomly" (we weren't even the ones driving) and they ask us straight up for money -just because- 🤣🤣🤣 even our guide was pissed off.
dwartbg9@reddit
This shit doesn't exist since fucking 90s... When's the last time that you've been in Bulgaria?!?
Dimo145@reddit
The one singular time I had to drive to Sofia instead of using bus + public transport, imidiatelly met them exiting Studentski towards the Okolovrustno. Thank God my 2004 Ford fiesta shitbox gets ignored 😊
EL_ProfessionalHater@reddit
A month ago, passing Haskovo then Plodiv :)
It still exists.
morbihann@reddit
I want to disagree, but I cant. Police is scum.
Wild_cmpt6406@reddit
"What you cannot do with money, you can do with lots of money."
Сѐ што не можеш да направиш со пари, можеш со - многу пари!
Sad_Suspect_9649@reddit
I think it's kinda funny how one of the only two political accomplishments of Serbs in modern history is killing all Bulgarian dreams of expansion by taking Macedonia from them. It didn't bring us anything particularly useful, but it happened xd
WorldlinessRadiant77@reddit
The funny thing is you probably did us a favour in the long run.
Bulgaria skipped WW2 and the Yugoslav Wars, so no large scale destruction. We also had to rely heavily on diplomacy, which paid off big time - the Bulgarian diplomatic corps is very effective.
Sad_Suspect_9649@reddit
Disagree. Expansion at cost of war pays off.
Loan_Fancy@reddit
Kosovo
Salt_Fennel8876@reddit
apoprosanatolismos@reddit
Bulgaria and Greece have a very dark past, but we managed to smooth it out. Now the two peoples have nothing to divide but only to share. Bulgaria is now the only neighbor of Greece without irredentist aspirations. I hope that these excellent neighbourly relations with Bulgaria will continue forever
Equivalent-Okra-8639@reddit
They are fellow south-slavs, I actually have family in Serbia that spoke a dialect which was closer to Bulgarian than to Serbian. My Grandma always tells me I have Bulgarian blood because of this.
shristov@reddit
It's not entirely related, but here's something I just realized the other day (I'm BG).
-I've never met a Serbian that doesn't have some sort of issue with Bulgarians, even if a minor one
-I've never met a Bulgarian that has an issue with Serbians, even a minor one
We have nothing but love for what we perceive as our "brothers" and I think it's time to reciprocate some of that.
TigerOfEU@reddit
Better and cheaper littoral than Romania.. As for the folk itself it's typical balkan - warm, welcoming, always ready to share a rakija...
I was wondering one of these days if we'll be able to keep this culture going forward. Usually the more a country modernizes the more it loses its identity, culture, and becomes globalized. Hopefully won't be the case in the balkans
gai_tan@reddit
Never! I’ve seen so many countrymen work in Germany, UK, etc. From my personal friends EVERYONE hated it there. They just don’t feel at home. We can modernise but keep our culture. In fact, I do believe we should collectively lean into it. Everyone outside makes jokes but deep down it is what makes us truly unique in the world.
Silent-Laugh5679@reddit
IMHO Bulgarians are the most similar people / nation to us Romanians. Great people.
RegionSignificant977@reddit
What do you mean several neighbors? What's the neighbor that we didn't?
ViscountBuggus@reddit
Technically we've never fought Macedonia. Although give it some time, they've only existed for like 30 years.
Buckbeak94@reddit
Doubt you'd ever say what you write on the internet, in person, big man
ViscountBuggus@reddit
Pissing and shitting my pants right now bro
RegionSignificant977@reddit
True.
stikaznorsk@reddit
That is why the Macedonians are so angry. They feel excluded.
SnooAdvice6644@reddit
As a Serbian, I see Bulgarians no different than the Serbs. I see them as the same people with witch we weren't able to make mutually benefitial political deals because of our Balkan stubborness and imperialistic designs of super powers.
Art_L0ve@reddit
A tricky national football team. You never know if they'll be easy to beat or they'll kick your ass. And after they kick your ass and ruin your qualifications, they'll lose 4 next games. But respect.
determine96@reddit
It use to be like that.
Now not so much, only the last "surprise" our team made was against Serbia few years ago with two draws.
This_Lion5856@reddit
Bruh the Bulgarian football team is literally dogpoo tier nowadays
Township_Roller@reddit
They will most probably lock your ass. Imo, we have the worst national team in Europe 😁😭
bruhmanbruuh@reddit
The Bulgaria that clashed with my country in 1910s and invaded in 1941 is null , since the 1990s.
Therefore, there is nothing to heal and nothing to hate. Mutual cooperation , as well as exchanges of water and electricity , have elevated our countries' relations , without ''peace and love'' cringe propaganda bullshit.
MixPsychological4728@reddit
As a Bulgarian with Greek roots I can agree :)
dwartbg9@reddit
We aren't exchanging anything though, we're just giving it to you hahah.
bruhmanbruuh@reddit
Unironicaly , the only reason the regions of Thrace and Eastern Macedonia produce anything is ,among other things, your country.
Starscreamuk@reddit
And I'm sure they will do the same when/if the time comes!
Pmike9@reddit
🇧🇬🤝🇬🇷
Stellar_Synth@reddit
Killed my grand-grandfathers brother in an ambush, but nothing that Vasko Zabata can not heal.
SneakyLittleBee@reddit
based
Infamous_Dish_4348@reddit
To me they're southern romania cyrillic edition
erythrocytes235@reddit
We joke that Romania cares more about north Bulgaria than Sofia. Bromania is a GOATED Neighbor.
Archaeopteryx111@reddit
Hah, Bucharest is the closest large city for lots of Bulgaria.
SoulEkko@reddit
Bucharest, the emerging capital of northeastern Bulgaria?
Me likey.
nicholas19010@reddit
As a person from Ruse, I’ve been to Bucharest more times than I’ve been to Sofia so it checks out!
Doesn’t help that the government doesn’t care at all for northern Bulgaria. I mean there’s 4 motorways connecting Sofia to all major southern cities and the Greek, Turkish and Serbian border but 0 motorways connecting any major northern city. Motorway Haemus that connects Sofia to Varna has been in construction since 1974 and it’s still barely 50% done.
The roads from Ruse to Sofia are super bad and the drive is far from comfortable. Bucharest is just a lot more convenient for anything basically.
If the motorways Haemus and Ruse - Veliko Tarnovo get finished (hopefully while I’m still alive), the drive to Sofia would be much more convenient.
SoulEkko@reddit
I mean...
jajebivjetar@reddit
What do you mean neighbor? Croatia is not a neighbor of Bulgaria, so it had 3 wars with it. 😂
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Croatian%E2%80%93Bulgarian_wars
Burenosets@reddit
But historically you are northern Bulgaria Latin edition.
ibarfinsinks@reddit
Bulgarian here, absolutely fucking not
WolandWasHere@reddit
❤️ To me you’re northern bulgaria with funky zakuska edition
Prigorec-Medjimurec@reddit
Look at the eastern and northeastern monkeydonians arguing!
vartholomew-jo@reddit
A tiger? A tiger, in Balkans?
BGD_TDOT@reddit
Serbian attitudes towards Bulgarians range from neutral to generally positive. I always use our relationship as a measuring stick for how long it takes for two groups to get over their beef. My grandpa hated Bulgarians because in WW2 Bulgarian fascists committed some killings in his village (Southern Serbia), he was 4-5 years old at the time. His generation is the last that remembers any conflict with Bulgarians and these people are all in their 80's at least, when they pass no one will be around to try and pass on that resentment to their family.
Township_Roller@reddit
Having a positive relationship with CSKA Sofia fans is like having a positive relationship with dysentery.
BGD_TDOT@reddit
Levski fan spotted.
Township_Roller@reddit
No, I am not. I don't love Levski either, but nobody is as bad as CSKA-Sofia. Imo, the most self-absorbed, arrogant, disloyal bunch.
BGD_TDOT@reddit
SLAVIA SOFIA FAN SPOTTED.
Township_Roller@reddit
😁😁😁
BKrustev@reddit
It's the last one left :D
Suitable-Decision-26@reddit
A Macedonian of culture I see.
amazingamy19@reddit
Eurovision memes
ExoticAd7546@reddit
"I'm gonna Bangaranga you"
floare_salbatica@reddit
Did bangaranga turn into a threat? Were was that a promise? 🤭
TheSamuil@reddit
Yes to both
ExoticAd7546@reddit
Yeah Ray Misterio is in danger.
floare_salbatica@reddit
Ok, definitely a threat. 😅
Beginning-Appeal3166@reddit
Of having a good time..
dkajwiw8@reddit
Lotta taxis tryinna scam people but they're okay
ExoticAd7546@reddit
Hey, we didn't ban Uber for no reason. People gotta make a living here
Majestic_Potato_5408@reddit
It was more fun before Uber and Bolt came...
oioioioioioiioo@reddit
All Balkan taxis are scammers it's okay
dkajwiw8@reddit
Lol very true
JimbosBalls@reddit
I just feel like they’re the quietest in the region. You usually don’t hear much from Bulgaria. They do their thing, and it seems like it’s working. I know a couple of Bulgarians, and I like them. Then again, I like all Balkan people I feel at home when I meet them here where I live.
Majestic_Potato_5408@reddit
Bulgaria is just out-populated by most of its neighbours. For sure you will hear more from e.g. Romania with triple the population and double the size.
Pino_il_postino_@reddit (OP)
but didn't they recently have a diplomatic crisis with North Macedonia?
vladi_l@reddit
Macedonia could start drama with a rock, istg
Conscious-Map6957@reddit
Yeah, we couldn't wait for the chance to veto Greece and Bulgaria, or to annex parts of their territories /s
erythrocytes235@reddit
North Macedonia has crises with all of its neighbors except Serbia.
Pino_il_postino_@reddit (OP)
from what I remember they also had some with Greeks and Albanians
Zoshi2200@reddit
I just like that the only word they know in Turkish is "komşu"
LibertyChecked28@reddit
The Turkish loan words are taken for granted without much of a thought, I had an argument with my friend about “Which is the native Bulgarian word for Bottle° between Бутилка and Shishe, with Бутилка being apparently Latin or something- You cant make this up.
Salt_Fennel8876@reddit
We know many more Turkish word.
missmccreate@reddit
i like em they fine 👍
Franz_Ferdinand02@reddit
i forget they exist most of the time honestly. but it might be because i’m taking some therapy sessions to forget the things that hurt my mental health, so balkans
OkoMushrooom@reddit
Quiet and nonchalant, keep to themselves and don’t bother anyone until I say where I’m from.
ExoticAd7546@reddit
It's really sad what is going on between both countries. I have colleagues from Macedonia in my company and I have never noticed any negative attitude towards them. Of course there is some harmless joke from time to time. I have never been to Macedonia and even though I am sure it is the same there, I still feel like I might have issues there when people find out I am Bulgarian.
This_Lion5856@reddit
Tbf most of that "hate" is manufactured online by bots or trolls
ExoticAd7546@reddit
Bots and politicians. Unfortunately they influence opinions of impressionable people and there are some real life "bots". I haven't been to Macedonia, so cannot comment from personal experience.
BKrustev@reddit
Depends on the people. Honestly nationalists are really illogical when it comes to macedonians. Even if we accept that you guys were just western Bulgarians, shouldn't we be proud that another country sprang out of our old empire?
I think anyone with a brain knows that modern Macedonians have their own identity.
OkoMushrooom@reddit
Don’t worry I know people are pleasant irl and I never phrased it as a dislike more like a surprise you’re suddenly talking with the thing you hear about on the news and everyone gets talkative real fast
BKrustev@reddit
It's really weird how many Bulgarians have barely met other Balkan people. And that's despite the fact I can literally enter every country around us with just an ID, I don't even need a passport.
OkoMushrooom@reddit
It is strange how lumped together everyone is yet few people move around, except for the annual migration to Greece in the summer
TigerOfEU@reddit
Why would they dislike you for being western bulgarian? Is it a regional thing?
OkoMushrooom@reddit
Maybe its for the same reasons people dislike your username+flair combination
TigerOfEU@reddit
Do people dislike it? You're the first to say it out loud
OkoMushrooom@reddit
TigerOfEU@reddit
On a more serious note it's a running joke in Romania, the international media has sometimes labeled us the balkanic or eastern european tiger. We are obviously laughing our asses off at these labels. So my name itself is a satire.
Though to be honest given our neighbours are we're not doing all too terrible.
Phantom_Wolf52@reddit
My respect for them rose after they won Eurovision this year
BANGA RANGA
HomoVulgaris@reddit
That kurwa Von der Leyen has us all in some kinda Union. Oh well, I guess we better play nice.
South-Fudge-1550@reddit
they are tamer than rest of the balkans not much beef, could be called poland of balkans
nomemory@reddit
My favourites.
Township_Roller@reddit
Right back at you!
Brain32@reddit
Generally positive.
ThingCandid9553@reddit
Bros
Township_Roller@reddit
Bros
Canenald@reddit
something something backstab
ChurchClerk@reddit
Yeah and Serbia conveniently ignored a written agreement for the partition of Macedonia which was majority Bulgarian in the First Balkan War. Then proceeded to undermine their bulgarian identity. We have never reached Bosnia in our modern history and there has never been a state sponsored extermination effort unlike Serbia which has done that exact thing many times over.
> The important feature of this part is the agreement as to territorial divisions in the event of a victorious outcome of such a war. All lands were to be held in common until after the signing of peace. Following peace, territory north of the Shar Range, including the Sandjak of Novi Bazar and "Old Serbia," were to go to Serbia, and the territory south and east of the Rhodope Range and the Struma River to Bulgaria. Autonomy was to be given to the intermediate region. If, however, both parties should agree that autonomy for this region was not feasible, it was to be divided between them according to lines defined in the treaty, with the exception of a further intermediate region left undivided and to be subsequently apportioned through arbitration by the Czar of Russia. The territorial arrangements represent an attempt to reconcile the Serbian desire for partitions and access to the Adriatic with the Bulgarian plan for Macedonian autonomy. Finally the treaty provided that the Czar should be arbitrator in other questions that might arise from the treaty.
Serbian source: http://arhiviranisajt.msp.gov.rs/en/diplomatic-tradition/historical-diplomatic-papers/1289--1912-
BGD_TDOT@reddit
Realistically they accuse of that as well. As Orthodox nations with similar histories of fighting for independence from Ottomans we should get over that bullshit and be friends.
BKrustev@reddit
Realistically, we all backstabbed each other multiple times in history, cause historically we were all assholes at one point or another.
And funnily enough ordinary Turks were almost as fucked under Ottoman rule as we were.
WolandWasHere@reddit
I never understood that from the Serbians. I’ve heard it before but In our textbooks it was the Serbs that backstabbed us multiple times. I guess it’s like we love and heat each other and love how much we hate each other and hate how much we love each other ❤️
Mizukiri93@reddit
roxellani@reddit
No hate in Turkey. Some idiots are condescendenting towards them, like they are underdeveloped. They are just jealous that they can't visit without a Schengen.
I personally like Bulgarians, it was the first country i've visited abroad, and i have nothing but good opinion of them.
Archaeopteryx111@reddit
Have you visited Romania?
roxellani@reddit
Sort of. I've never visited as a tourist, so can't say i've experianced it over there (i'd like to one day). My university's folk dance group was on tour in eastern europe, i was their photographer so i have spent a single night in Bucharest, but it wouldn't really count, arrived by bus and left about 12 hours later with the same bus.
Archaeopteryx111@reddit
Very cool. Folk dance sounds fun. Do you do hora as well? Worth it to visit other parts of the country lol.
roxellani@reddit
No, i was just their photographer, my best friend was their teacher so i got to tour with them and Turkish taxpayers paid for it lol.
I recall being told Orodea is absolutely worth the visit. I know there are many well preserved historic sights to see. I will definitely visit one day, but i can't afford to for the next year or so.
Archaeopteryx111@reddit
Sounds fun tbh!
ExoticAd7546@reddit
Honestly, even the more conservative people I know in Bulgaria are alright with Turkey pretty much nowadays. So good to see times have changed.
BKrustev@reddit
For the record, I as a Bulgarian am really pissed it's become harder for my Turkish friends to visit because of Schengen. I hope you guys get rid of RTE and things ease up.
Substratas@reddit
But it loses sleep over bangaranga being so iconic 👑
vasjpan002@reddit
Bulgarian irridentism still wants to swallow all Balkans - as shown with agencies named like balkantourist - ecer since Ignatief promised them at san stefano.
FrothyEspresso@reddit
I know some and they’re always good to me. Like Macedonians, I view them as family. Nothing bad to say about them.
j3ssyObey73@reddit
The irony of using that specific meme to ask about healing relations is honestly the most Balkan thing I have seen all week.
Svetlio_88@reddit
We are not the empire we used to be or you would not be talking like this.
Discipline_Cautious1@reddit
Black sea tourism.
Crafty_Apple9714@reddit
Teh6 are just identical to us in romania, just another script for weird reasons.
LazaCoolGuy@reddit
Lots of people from Eastern Serbia have some Bulgarian roots, given our histories. So things are pretty chill Lots of Bulgarians come over as tourists too. And I've visited Bulgaria a few times. Everyone I ever met was nice. Cool neighbors
K1rashiro@reddit
Bratkoooo
P-l-Staker@reddit
Early-Show2886@reddit
And what answer do you want to hear? What do you expect?
Pino_il_postino_@reddit (OP)
As a non-Balkaner, I would be curious to know what people think of Bulgarians, considering their relations with their neighbors in the past.
Early-Show2886@reddit
As for Bulgaria—well, I find the Pomaks very interesting. They are Muslim Bulgarians with a truly unique, archaic way of life—especially their weddings. The brides there are adorned in a very distinctive manner—take a look:
https://www.nationalgeographic.com/culture/article/160427-pictures-wedding-ceremony-islam-bulgaria-pomaks
Senrogas@reddit
https://youtu.be/6mK-54I3tW8?is=hlcqr3iUkzxtQSMh
This
Wild_cmpt6406@reddit
This world is a Bulgar to Bulgars, let alone to noble soul.
Annoying_guest@reddit
Man I just want chill with my tracksuit homies and eat byrek
heatseaking_rock@reddit
After my experience with my bulgarian neighbor seeing me for invented stuff after he manipulated the truth, I would say no.
PainOk1877@reddit
[ Removed by Reddit ]
PinkDisorder@reddit
Bulgarians are alright, we have a long common history with a lot of warring but we've moved past that now