Challenges During the Transitional Period

After the liberation of Bulgaria, the country entered a transitional period in which old Ottoman structures were replaced by modern European institutions. The Russians, who were in charge of establishing the new government, faced enormous difficulties in carrying out their task.

The main challenge was the ongoing state of war. Russian troops were still fighting to push the Ottoman army southwards, and the local population was often unsettled by the violence and uncertainty. The abolition of the former administration could not happen everywhere at the same time; it had to follow the progress of the Russian army, which advanced slowly and at great cost.

At first, the work of creating a new administration was like a “Tower of Babel.” Officials struggled to coordinate the various parts of the system, which were built from different, incompatible materials. The machinery of government was clumsy and inefficient, and only the efforts of highly skilled administrators kept it running Istanbul Tour Guide.

Preparation of the New Constitution

In addition to managing daily administration, the provisional government had the task of preparing a new constitution for Bulgaria. This task was assigned to the Russian professor Gradovsky, who was assisted by General Domontovitz.

The resulting document, written in Russian and titled the “Organic Statute,” was submitted to the Constituent Assembly at Tărnovo on February 10–22, 1879 by the Commissary-General, Dondoukoff-Korsakoff.

Sources and Influences

Very little is known about the specific sources used by Professor Gradovsky. However, it is clear that he was guided in part by the Treaty of Berlin, which had already defined the basic structure of Bulgaria’s government.

In addition, Gradovsky was strongly influenced by the Serbian and Belgian constitutions, which were examples of modern European governance at the time. He also drew inspiration from Russian communal institutions, particularly in giving autonomy to local communes. This allowed local communities to manage their own affairs within the broader framework of the new Principality.

The transitional period in Bulgaria was marked by chaos, war, and administrative challenges. Despite these difficulties, the Russians laid the foundations for a modern civil government. The preparation of the Organic Statute combined international guidance with local traditions and set the stage for Bulgaria’s first independent constitutional government.