Abstract
<jats:p>This article examines the policy of Ivan Kostov’s government toward the Bulgarian minority in the Western Outlands in the period 1997–2001. It focuses on the diplomatic efforts and institutional actions undertaken by the Bulgarian state to preserve the minority’s national, cultural, and linguistic identity. Particular attention is paid to the establishment of the Cultural and Information Center (CIC) in Tsaribrod in 1997 and its branch in Bosilegrad in 1998, as well as to the role of Bulgarian diplomacy in supporting their activities; the article argues that the creation and consolidation of these institutions constituted a significant achievement. It also discusses the government’s attempts to engage in dialogue with Slobodan Milošević on minority rights, its efforts to expand mother-tongue education, and its contacts with organisations representing the Bulgarian minority in the Western Outlands. The study notes problems and internal contradictions among these organisations, together with obstacles arising from local passivity and processes of assimilation. Government action during and after the Kosovo War to protect Bulgarians in Serbia is analysed in detail. The conclusion emphasises that Kostov’s cabinet overcame long-standing inertia and passivity, yet did not act in isolation, instead building on initiatives undertaken by several previous governments. The article draws on unpublished archival documents from the archives of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Bulgarian News Agency (BTA), and other repositories, which allow the author to formulate new conclusions regarding state policy toward the Bulgarian minority. Keywords: Western Outlands, Bulgarian minority, cultural identity, diplomacy, human rights.</jats:p>