SOFIA, Bulgaria - Former King Simeon II, crowned as a child and forced into exile during the communist years, vowed to improve dismal living standards in 800 days when he returned to Bulgaria as prime minister in 2001.
But what began as a 21st-century fairy tale had an unhappy ending Wednesday as the 800-day pledge expired with many Bulgarians feeling betrayed -- and no better off.
"It was a bluff," snapped Dimitar Petkov, a 77-year-old retiree living on a $100-a-month pension.
"This suit is from my son. This tie is from my grandson. These shoes, too. Without their support, we could not survive."
Simmering anger over entrenched poverty has thrown into question the future of the prime minister, now known as Simeon Saxcoburggotski, or Saxe-Coburg-Gotha.
The former Soviet satellite hopes for European Union membership by 2007.
Unemployment, officially 13 percent, is unofficially pegged at 20 percent, and the average monthly salary is just $140.
Posters plastered around the capital, Sofia, capture the frustration: "800 Days. 800 Lies. Enough!"
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History is powerful stuff. One day your world is fine. The next day it's knocked for a metaphysical loop. Was Napoleon really at Waterloo? Would that change for what I had for breakfast? - Anonymous
Bulgarian exiled King Simeon II, now Prime Minister Simeon Saxe-Coburg, walks to a press conference in a park of his palace in the suburbs of Sofia as he is due to announce his pre-election programme in this undated April 6, 2001, file photo. The ex-monarch swept to power on a main 2001 election pledge to improve people's lives in 800 days. The deadline is up on Friday but impoverished Bulgarians say are disappointed with the government as don't feel a change for the better.
I must apologise for something; I was in the process of editing the Bulgarian RF's thread and managed to delete it. My fellow admins are helping to search for the thread and hopefully we will recover it, but if not I promise to get back as much information as possible. :o
__________________ It's clever, but is it art? ~Rudyard Kipling
Son of King Boris III and Queen Joanna, Simeon Saxe-Coburg was born on June 16, 1937 in Sofia, Bulgaria.
On that day church bells and gun salutes echoed across Bulgaria to announce the arrival of the future king. The King and the Queen celebrated the joyous event by granting many prisoners amnesty and adding a mark to every school child’s exam.
A few weeks later the young prince was baptized with water flown in from the river Jordan by a Bulgarian pilot.
Upon King Boris III’s sudden death on August 28, 1943, the 6-year old Simeon II acceded to the throne. A three-member council of regency was formed to reign in Bulgaria on his behalf. Following the communist coup on September 9, 1944 Simeon II remained on the throne but the regents, including his uncle Prince Kiril, and most of the country’s intelligentsia, were executed. Two years later, in 1946, a referendum was held and forced King Simeon, his sister, Princess Maria-Luisa and Queen Joanna to flee Bulgaria. Without abdicating, the young king was to spend in exile many years. The family settled first in Alexandria, Egypt. The choice was not accidental. The Italian King Victor Emmanuel, the father of Queen Joanna, lived in exile in Egypt. Simeon was enrolled in the famous Victoria College in Egypt.
In July 1951 the Spanish Government granted asylum to the exiled Bulgarian royal family. In Madrid Simeon graduated from the Lycee Francaise and read law and political science. In 1958-1959 he enrolled at the prestigious Valley Forge Military Academy in the United States where he was known as “cadet Rylski” and graduated as second lieutenant.
In 1962 Simeon II married a Spanish aristocrat, Dona Margarita Gomez-Acebo y Cejuela. They have five children – four sons and a daughter.
In 1996 Simeon II returned to Bulgaria after almost 50 years of exile. Over the decades he has been preoccupied with developments in his country and with everything regarding Bulgaria. He has worked actively with Bulgarian emigrants worldwide and helped many fellow countrymen.
Simeon Saxe-Coburg maintained broad international contacts with the business community and his manifold activities have led him to travel frequently across the globe.
In addition to Bulgarian Simeon Saxe-Coburg speaks fluent English, French, German, Italian and Spanish and a little Arabic and Portuguese.
In 1998, the Constitutional Court in a decision returned the private properties to his family.
On April 6, 2001 Simeon II proclaimed his wish to return for good and to work actively while he draws on the experience he had amassed in exile and on his contacts in the effort to revive the country.
In a historic address to the Bulgarian nation he proclaimed his intention to found a National Movement named after him for new political morals and integrity. As the leader of the Movement and having coped with the stumbling blocks to register the Movement at court, the Bulgarian King played in the parliamentary election on June 17, 2001.
Having won a landslide victory for the National Movement, on July 24, 2001 Simeon Saxe-Coburg was sworn in as Prime Minister of the Republic of Bulgaria.
__________________ It's clever, but is it art? ~Rudyard Kipling
Crown Prince Kardam John of Turnovo is the oldest child of King Simeon II and Queen Margarita. He was born on December 2nd, 1963. As an heir apparent to the throne, he was baptized in the Eastern Orthodox faith, though his siblings are Roman Catholics. According to the tradition, he was given the title Prince of Tirnovo, like his father and grandfather. Mindful of his heritage, Prince Kardam obtained an education suitable for a future king of Bulgaria. He received his bachelor's degree in International Economics and Philosophy from Clark University in the USA in 1986. Three years later, he received a Master's degree in Agricultural Economics from Penn State University.
Prince Kardam married Miriam Ungria in the Eastern Orthodox Church in Madrid on 11 July 1996. Miriam is a gemologist and a historian. The couple has two children Boris, Prince of Bulgaria (b. 12 October 1997) and BeTRFam (b. 7 April 1999).
__________________ It's clever, but is it art? ~Rudyard Kipling
Just posted Kardam and Miriam's wedding pictures in Old, New, Royal, and Blue... Forum. If anyone wishes to look at them, here is the link Prince Kardam of Bulgaria and Miriam Ungria
Photo 1: Prince Kardam and Princess Miriam with Prince Boris (born 1997) Photo 2: Kardam, Miriam and Boris Photo 3: Kardam, Miriam and Boris Photo 4: Kardam, Miriam and BeTRFan (born 1999) Photo 5: Kardam, Miriam and BeTRFan
For those interested in seeing some of the photos of Prince Konstantin's wedding to Maria Garcia de la Rasilla check out this thread in Old, New, Royal and Blue....http://www.theroyalforums.com/forums...926#post174926
__________________ It's clever, but is it art? ~Rudyard Kipling
Hi! I am particularly found of Kyril and Rosario of Bulgaria, but I can't nearly found anything on them (apart from the pics post down there).
Can anyone post info about this gorge pair (particularly Rosario- where does she come from, what did she do before marring the prince, etc.). Thankx
Hi! I am particularly found of Kyril and Rosario of Bulgaria, but I can't nearly found anything on them (apart from the pics post down there).
Can anyone post info about this gorge pair (particularly Rosario- where does she come from, what did she do before marring the prince, etc.). Thankx
Rosario was born in Mallorca (Spain). She cames from a well off family. Her father is a business man. Her maternal grandparents were Counts of Olocau. She married very young and moved to London, but she spends her summer holidays in Mallorca. Her best friend is Gwyneth Paltrow
Do you know what is Kiril's exact place in the royal family?
Prince Kyril is the second son of King Simeon.
He was born in 1964 and has the title Prince of Preslav.
He is a London merchant banker/financial analyst.
Three children:
Princess Mafalda 1994
Princess Olympia 1995
Prince Tassilo 2002
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