On June 5, 1900, the government of Todor Ivanchov introduced martial law in Shumen and Varna districts. The reason is rural unrest and riots against the tithe.
They are a spontaneous mass movement of the peasants against the return of the natural tithe to agriculture. The government of Todor Ivanchov (1899–1901) decided to strengthen the state's financial situation by replacing the land tax introduced in 1894 with a natural tithe.
Already at the time of the discussion of the draft law in the H ONS, an unorganized rural movement against the recovery of the natural tax began, recalls "Focus".
In the period 1899-1900, over 190 protest rallies and meetings were organized.
After the Land Works Tax Act of 1900–1901 was passed, peasant discontent grew into open rebellion. They are intertwined with the movement to build an independent agricultural party. The first clash takes place in Varna.
The rally organized on March 5 by the Varna District Agricultural Committee ended with armed intervention by the police and the army.
A curfew has been introduced in Varna. In the Ruse District, battles between the villagers and the army took place in the village of Trastenik, where 4-5 thousand people gathered from the neighboring villages.
On April 21, the government was forced to declare martial law in Rusenska, Razgradska, Tarnovska, Gornooryakhovska and Svishtovska okolia in order to deal with the rural rebellions. The anti-tithe movement is gaining a mass character in Balchishka Okolia as well.
The biggest clashes were in the village of Durankulak, where dozens of villagers were injured and about 90 people were killed after the army intervened.
On June 5, 1900, the government introduced martial law in Shumen and Varna districts.
Army units have been sent to the villages where the villagers continue to resist.
After the Durankulasha events, the government extended the scope of martial law to the whole of Northeastern Bulgaria.
The emergency powers allow the authorities to force local farmers to declare their taxable production. The extensive use of the army in these events led to increased criticism in the parliament against the Ivanchov cabinet and to a conflict between Vasil Radoslavov and the Minister of War Stefan Paprikov, who is against the repressions.
We recall that a large number were convicted of incitement and disobedience. Dozens of teachers who agitated against the tithe were fired or interned.
As a result, both resigned, followed by the entire cabinet in November 1900. The tithe became a major issue in the parliamentary elections in early 1901. The Democrats and progressive liberals who won them canceled it the same year and issued an amnesty for the convicted participants in the riots.
The fight against the tithe helps the rise of the Bulgarian Agricultural People's Union (BAZNS).
Thus, from the dawn of the 20th century, the BZNS from a professional-class organization gradually turned into a party. Farmers will now have a greater role in the political life of Bulgaria.
In 1903, Todor Ivanchov was sentenced by the State Court for violating the constitution during the rule of the Radoslavist regime to eight months of imprisonment.
However, he was amnestied by the Istanbulites a few months later.