The “Berlin Congress”, the meeting of the Great Powers to reach an agreement on the annulment of the decisions of the Treaty of Saint Stephen (March 3, 1878), began its proceedings. Great Britain, Germany, France, Italy, Russia and Austria-Hungary participated in the congress. 20 sessions were held there, and during the whole time the proceedings took place in the Reichschancellor’s building in Wilhelmstrasse, Berlin. Chancellor Otto von Bismarck represented Germany, while the other states were mainly represented by prime ministers or foreign ministers, along with ambassadors and other high-level officials. The delegation of the Ottoman Empire could discuss the items on the agenda, but did not have the right to vote. Even the Balkan states, such as Serbia, Greece, Bulgaria, Romania, and Montenegro, had the right to present their political and territorial demands before the Congress. After tough discussions between the delegations, in the fifth and sixth sessions, the proposal of Austria-Hungary was accepted that within six months, Russia would leave Eastern Rumelia. Within nine months, it would also leave Bulgaria, which was divided into two parts. Russia also had to leave Romania within twelve months. The Great Powers signed a new Treaty called the “Treaty of Berlin”. At the Congress of Berlin, decisions were made, according to which the neighbors recognized some Albanian territories: Serbia received the provinces of Vranje, Nish, Prokupla and other areas of the province of Kosovo; Plava, Gucia and other provinces of Shkodra vilayet would overtake Montenegro. The provinces to the south of the Albanian lands were decided to be resolved through Greek-Turkish talks. (In the picture: Moment from the Berlin Congress.)
Text: The encyclopedic dictionary of Kosovo – Vol. I , Academy of Sciences and Arts of Kosovo, Prishtina, 2018, page 842.
Photo: © https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kongresi_i_Berlinit
Graphic processing: AHCF
