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Comment by selimthegrim | Hacker News Reader

Ottomans have been gone for 200 years now, haven’t they?

The Ottomans have been gone for less time than the US has been free of slavery. African Americans, as a group, are still struggling. I don't see why an entire nation should be recovered.

Comparing Bulgarians 200 years ago to african slaves in Usa is quite weird. Blaming Ottomans for the todays Bulgaria's all problems is beyond ridiculous, and maybe the sign of the real problem.

Would you prefer a comparison to Haiti, which gained independence 100 years before Bulgaria?

Did Bulgaria have huge indemnity to pay like Haiti?

Less than a 100 (Ottoman Empire was dissolved in 1922), though Bulgaria went independent from them in 1908.

Since the last Russo-Turkish War that ended (1878) with de facto independence of Bulgaria from Ottoman empire, Russia continuously tried to turn Bulgaria into its vassal state and finally succeeded in 1944. These attempts include false patriotism that hails Russia as liberator. So the slave mentality continued uninterrupted.

Edit: saviour->liberator, added 1878

Yeah, true, but that terrible rule has left huge scars in the mentality.

Looks like the fear and loathing is still there in Bulgaria.

There's a lot of lingering resentment in that whole general area, even after all these years.

Some of it is justified. Most of the satellite countries had to pay tribute (taxes) to the empire, money that could have been used instead for self-development. Compound this issue over centuries, and maybe you can understand why people are not happy about that part of history.

Full independence from the Ottoman Empire was achieved in 1908.

the turks have their own party in Bulgaria and they shuttle people from all over the go and vote.

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