Bosilegrad

Infobox Serbia municipality
native_name = Босилеград|official_name=Bosilegrad
image_shield = Grb bosilegrad.pngdistrict = Pčinja
mayor = Vladimir Zaharijev (DSS)
area_km2 = 571
population_total = 2702 | mpop=9931
latd = 42| latm = 30|longd = 22| longm = 28
postal_code = 17540
settlements = 37
code = 17
plates = VR
website = www.bosilegrad-so.org.yu

Bosilegrad (Serbian: Босилеград, "Bosilegrad"; Traditional Serbian name: Босиљград, "Bosiljgrad"; Bulgarian: Босилеград, "Bosilegrad") is a town and municipality in Pčinja District of Serbia. The municipality comprises an area of 571 km².

Demographics

1991 census

According to the 1991 census, the municipality of Bosilegrad had a population of 11,644 people - the ethnic Bulgarians formed a majority of the population in the municipality.

2002 census

According to the 2002 census data, the population of the Bosilegrad municipality was 9,931 people, and it was composed of:
* Bulgarians = 7,037 (70.86%)
* Serbs = 1,308 (13.17%)
* Macedonians = 42 (0,5%)
* Others.

History

The Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes gained some territory from Bulgaria as part of the Treaty of Neuilly-sur-Seine, following the invasion and occupation of part of the Kingdom of Serbia by Bulgaria and subsequent Allied defeat of the Central Powers in the First World War. Between 1920 and 1941 the population of the region was denied any right to education or church services in Bulgarian and was officially regarded as Serbian by the Yugoslav authorities, including changed Bulgarian names to Serbian.Fact|date=April 2007 The Bulgarian Internal Western Provinces Revolutionary Organisation, known as Vrtop, was active during this period. The previous governments in Belgrade neglected Southern Serbia (an overwhelmingly ethnic Serb area), which led to mass unemployment and low living standards in the town. [ [http://www.un.int/bulgaria/Official_Reports/Human_Rights/National_Minority/49-455.htm UN report on the Bulgarian minority] ]

Following the Second World War, the Bulgarian community gained full minority rights and was integrated into the political mainstream.Fact|date=April 2007

References

=

ee also

*Dimitrovgrad