Internal Western Outland Revolutionary Organisation

The Internal Western Outland Revolutionary Organization (Bulgarian: Вътрешна западнопокрайненска революционна организация, "Vatreshnata zapadnopokraynenska revolyutsionna organizatsiya"), IWORO, was a Bulgarian revolutionary organization active in the Western Outlands between 1921 and 1941 in the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes (until 1929), and then its successor, the Kingdom of Yugoslavia [cite book
last =Manchev
first =Krŭstyo
title =History of the Balkan peoples (XIX-XX century)
publisher =Academic publishing house "Acad. Marin Drinov"
date =1999
pages =185] .

The organization was established in 1921 on the basis of several detachments created straight after the cession of the Western Outlands to Serbia in 1920. The IWORO initially concentrated on propaganda and delivery of Bulgarian literature. The period of armed resistance started in 1922 and the organisation carried out numerous assaults on the Tzaribrod–Belgrade railway, on bridges, Serbian garrisons and barracks until 1941 when the region was occupied by Bulgarian troops.

Unlike the other three Bulgarian revolutionary organizations active in the interwar period — the Internal Macedonian Revolutionary Organisation in Macedonia, the Internal Thracian Revolutionary Organisation in Thrace and the Internal Dobrujan Revolutionary Organization in Dobruja — IWORO did not put up the tactical slogan demanding autonomy for the region but fought “for the liberation of the Western Outlands and their restoration to Bulgaria”.

ee also

* Western Outlands

References