Atanas Burov
Encyclopedia
Atanas Dimitrov Burov (30 January 1875 – 15 May 1954) was a Bulgaria
n banker and politician.
. Members of his family played an active role in the national liberation movement, the educational and cultural reforms, the setting up of the national financial system and industry. The father — Dimitar Burov established the Commercial & Credit House — Burov.D.A&Co in 1862. After the Liberation
the company expanded its activities and was reorganised as a joint-stock company. The Burov company was among the founders of "Bulgaria: First Bulgarian Insurance Company" (1895) and the Bulgarian Commercial Bank in 1891.
After returning from Paris, Atanas Burov started working in the family business. He studied industries with great potential, took the initiative to establish joint-stock companies, participated in the development of railroad constructing, mining, and other industries. The prosperity of his business activity provided him with stability, independent civil opinion and freedom to act as a politician. Burov joined politics as an active member of the People's Party and very soon became the ideologist of the Bulgarian bourgeoisie. He soon became one of the leaders of the party, who always had the national and people's interests as a priority.
From 1911 until 1934 he was a member of the Bulgarian Parliament
and a minister in four governments:
Burov never allowed compromises with and breach of the principles of democracy
and always opposed to totalitarian and dictatorship regimes. As a foreign minister he contributed much to the improvement of Bulgaria's image and relations with neighbouring countries. He was an elected member of the Political Commission of the League of Nations
. Together with financial minister Mollov he succeeded in negotiating the Refugee Loan, the Stability Loan and extending the moratorium on the Reparation Debts.
In 1920 he was elected Secretary of the United People's Progressive Party and expanded the social base of this formation attracting personalities from other political groups. He created the People's Union.
on 9 September 1944, the People's Court sentenced Burov to one year of imprisonment. After being released, he joined the opposition in their fight against the establishment of communism, but was exiled to the town of Dryanovo
in 1948, then arrested in 1950 and sentenced again, this time to a 20 years term. He died in the Pazardzhik
prison on 15 May 1954. In modern democratic Bulgarian history, the life of Atanas Burov is an example of decent life, dedicated entirely to Bulgaria. In 2000, he was proclaimed an Honoured Citizen of Gorna Oryahovitsa.
inaugurated the Burov Hall at the Ministry of Finance, in honor of Atanas Burov. The hall contains the original desk and bookcase of Burov, as well as the original national budgets from 1880 onward. The only surviving oilpaint portrait of Atanas Burov is also as the hall, on loan from the Bulgarian Development Bank. The Ministry of Finance has initiated a program to collect the Burov manuscripts.
Bulgaria
Bulgaria , officially the Republic of Bulgaria , is a parliamentary democracy within a unitary constitutional republic in Southeast Europe. The country borders Romania to the north, Serbia and Macedonia to the west, Greece and Turkey to the south, as well as the Black Sea to the east...
n banker and politician.
Family background
Burov was born in Gorna OryahovitsaGorna Oryahovitsa
Gorna Oryahovitsa is a town in northern Bulgaria, situated in Veliko Tarnovo Province, not far from the city of Veliko Tarnovo. It is the administrative centre of the homonymous Gorna Oryahovitsa Municipality...
. Members of his family played an active role in the national liberation movement, the educational and cultural reforms, the setting up of the national financial system and industry. The father — Dimitar Burov established the Commercial & Credit House — Burov.D.A&Co in 1862. After the Liberation
Liberation of Bulgaria
In Bulgarian historiography, the term Liberation of Bulgaria is used to denote the events of the Russo-Turkish War of 1877-78 that led to the re-establishment of Bulgarian state with the Treaty of San Stefano of March 3, 1878, after the complete conquest of the Second Bulgarian Empire, which...
the company expanded its activities and was reorganised as a joint-stock company. The Burov company was among the founders of "Bulgaria: First Bulgarian Insurance Company" (1895) and the Bulgarian Commercial Bank in 1891.
Education
- 1895 Atanas Burov graduated from the most prestigious secondary school in GabrovoGabrovoGabrovo is a city in central northern Bulgaria, the administrative centre of Gabrovo Province. It is situated at the foot of the central Balkan Mountains, in the valley of the Yantra River, and is known as an international capital of humour and satire , as well as noted for its Bulgarian National...
, Bulgaria. - 1895–1900 studied law and economy in ParisParisParis is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
.
Business and political life
From 1911 until 1934 he was a member of the Bulgarian Parliament
National Assembly of Bulgaria
The National Assembly of Bulgaria is the unicameral parliament and body of the legislative of the Republic of Bulgaria.The National Assembly of Bulgaria was established in 1879 with the Constitution of Bulgaria.-Ordinary National Assembly:...
and a minister in four governments:
- Minister of Commerce, 14 June 1913 – 17 July 1913
- Minister of Commerce, Industry and Labour, 6 October 1919 – 20 April 1920
- Minister of Foreign Affairs, 4 January 1926 - 29 June 1931
- Government minister, 2 September 1944 – 9 September 1944
Burov never allowed compromises with and breach of the principles of democracy
Democracy
Democracy is generally defined as a form of government in which all adult citizens have an equal say in the decisions that affect their lives. Ideally, this includes equal participation in the proposal, development and passage of legislation into law...
and always opposed to totalitarian and dictatorship regimes. As a foreign minister he contributed much to the improvement of Bulgaria's image and relations with neighbouring countries. He was an elected member of the Political Commission of the League of Nations
League of Nations
The League of Nations was an intergovernmental organization founded as a result of the Paris Peace Conference that ended the First World War. It was the first permanent international organization whose principal mission was to maintain world peace...
. Together with financial minister Mollov he succeeded in negotiating the Refugee Loan, the Stability Loan and extending the moratorium on the Reparation Debts.
In 1920 he was elected Secretary of the United People's Progressive Party and expanded the social base of this formation attracting personalities from other political groups. He created the People's Union.
The communist regime
After the communist coup d'étatBulgarian coup d'état of 1944
The Bulgarian coup d'état of 1944, also known as the 9 September coup d'état and called in pre-1989 Bulgaria the National Uprising of 9 September or the Socialist Revolution of 9 September was a change in the Kingdom of Bulgaria's administration and government carried out on the eve of 9 September...
on 9 September 1944, the People's Court sentenced Burov to one year of imprisonment. After being released, he joined the opposition in their fight against the establishment of communism, but was exiled to the town of Dryanovo
Dryanovo
The town of Dryanovo is situated at the northern foot of the Balkan Mountains in Gabrovo Province, Bulgaria, amphitheatrically along the two banks of Dryanovo River, a tributary to the Yantra River. The town is a centre of the homonymous Dryanovo Municipality, which is composed of 62 villages,...
in 1948, then arrested in 1950 and sentenced again, this time to a 20 years term. He died in the Pazardzhik
Pazardzhik
Pazardzhik is a city situated along the banks of the Maritsa river, Southern Bulgaria. It is the capital of Pazardzhik Province and centre for the homonymous Pazardzhik Municipality...
prison on 15 May 1954. In modern democratic Bulgarian history, the life of Atanas Burov is an example of decent life, dedicated entirely to Bulgaria. In 2000, he was proclaimed an Honoured Citizen of Gorna Oryahovitsa.
Burov Hall at the Ministry of Finance
In 2010, Finance Minister Simeon DjankovSimeon Djankov
Simeon Djankov is a Bulgarian economist and Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance of Bulgaria in the government of Boyko Borisov. Prior to his cabinet appointment, Simeon Djankov was a Chief economist of the finance and private sector vice-presidency of the World Bank...
inaugurated the Burov Hall at the Ministry of Finance, in honor of Atanas Burov. The hall contains the original desk and bookcase of Burov, as well as the original national budgets from 1880 onward. The only surviving oilpaint portrait of Atanas Burov is also as the hall, on loan from the Bulgarian Development Bank. The Ministry of Finance has initiated a program to collect the Burov manuscripts.