Bulgarian Empire

On the other side, Russian Foreign Minister Sassonov, the representative sent by Nicholas II, also arrived in Sofia. He came by plane, and it took just over a day from St. Petersburg to Sofia.

In addition to Russian Foreign Minister Sassonov, there are also a group of Russian economic experts. It seems that Nicholas II is also afraid, and has prepared professionals in advance to bargain.

As soon as he got off the plane, before he had time to rest, Sassonov hurriedly asked the Bulgarian Ministry of Foreign Affairs for negotiations, and the Bulgarian-Russian negotiations officially started.

Back in time to a day ago, in the Royal Palace of Sofia, Foreign Minister Megev asked: "Your Majesty, where is our bottom line in negotiating with the Russians this time?"

Ferdinand smiled slightly and asked, "What do you think of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs?"

Megev was dumbfounded. This kind of negotiation has always been decided by the government. No country has ever let the Ministry of Foreign Affairs decide such a major event!

After thinking for a while, Megev bit the bullet and said, "Your Majesty, this issue has exceeded the authority of our foreign ministry. It depends on what the government wants from the Russian Empire?"

Ferdinand then asked: "Prime Minister, what does the government want from Russia this time?"

Constantine thought for a while and said, "Your Majesty, if possible, we plan to buy the Crimean Peninsula from the Russians!"

Sure enough, Ferdinand thought to himself. The area of ​​the Crimean Peninsula is only 25,500 square kilometers. The southeast is low hilly forest, but rich in iron ore, while the central and northern parts are plain areas, suitable for agricultural production.

These resources alone are definitely not worth much. The problem is the strategic value. After taking the Crimean Peninsula, the Black Sea will become the inland sea of ​​Bulgaria. Even if the Russians want to develop their navy in the future, they will not be able to find a more suitable port. .

If Nicholas II was willing to sell it, Ferdinand would not mind paying a high price. Of course, it would be even better if Nicholas II was more generous and willing to sell more land.

Ferdinand thought for a while and said, "Let's talk about it. The Crimean Peninsula is worth less than 10 billion. Now we only talk about economic value!"

Megev said hesitantly, "Your Majesty, the government may not have the money to buy the land! This loan must only be provided by the three major domestic banks. It is impossible for us to ask the bank to buy the land for us, right?"

Ferdinand smiled slightly and said: "Of course, I didn't ask you to spend 10 billion levs to buy land. This time the loan is still the business of the bank. To allow the bank to provide loans, the Russians must provide enough collateral. Otherwise, who would dare to lend them money?"

Constantine became embarrassed. He wanted to take advantage of the fire, but the government didn't have such money. Then he thought of the debt, and the issue of selling the Italian and German debt was almost discussed with the British.

As long as these debts are sold, are you afraid you can't afford them? Although Bulgaria suffered a bit from selling it like this, but now it doesn't care so much!

"Your Majesty, we have almost negotiated with the British consortium on the sale of our German and Italian debts. Should we just sell them now?" Constantine said hesitantly

Ferdinand sighed and said, "Sell it! What is the negotiated price now?"

Now there are only a few British consortiums left that have the strength to buy this huge debt. Bulgaria already owes them 680 million pounds, and they can directly deduct this part from it. In fact, the funds that need to be paid are greatly reduced. up.

Foreign Minister Meteff thought for a while and replied: "The British consortium only agreed to calculate at a 40% discount. Over the past few years, Germany and Italy have repaid part of our loans, plus the debts that were offset in kind at the beginning, and now the two countries owe us 2.812 billion levs, a 40% discount is 1.6872 billion pounds.

After deducting our debts to the British and other international financial groups, we finally got 860 million pounds of funds.

They also asked for three installments to be settled within a year! At the same time, we must ensure that Germany and Italy will not renege on their debts! "

I have to say that the consortium is good at doing business, if it is not considering the economic expansion of the whole society in the future,

He did the business himself.

With the development of science and technology, more and more gold is mined, and more and more wealth is produced by society. In essence, this huge sum of money has been depreciating!

Ferdinand said without hesitation: "Promise them, but we only guarantee that Germany and Italy will not renege on their debts, and we cannot guarantee when they will pay them off, and these debts have nothing to do with us!"

Based on current interest calculations, when Germany and Italy pay off their loans 40 to 50 years later, the sum of the principal and interest of these consortiums has exceeded 10 billion pounds!

But now they only have 860 million pounds in cash, and the other funds are offset on the accounts between the consortia.

This is similar to a bank loan. If you borrow 100 million in this bank, you can't withdraw all of it, right? Usually it’s just an extra number on the account number, and when doing business, most of them are transfers, and the money is still in the bank.

Therefore, a bank's assets were only a few hundred million yuan, and its deposits were only two to three hundred million yuan. Perhaps their loans have already exceeded 100 billion yuan.

As long as the credit is not bankrupt, they can continue to play together and use financial means to grab high profits, so even in some countries in later generations, the interest on loans is lower than the interest on deposits!

It's not that the bank is stupid, but that they are still making money, and there is no so-called loss! Lending a sum of money once is a loss, lending it twice is a profit, and lending it three or five times is a blood profit!

Ferdinand guessed that maybe this kind of consortium can make a profit without spending a big one. The method is very simple, just turn these debts into bonds and sell them to the British people. The interest figure is here, and I am afraid No one buys it?

"Yes!" Megev replied without hesitation.

Constantine was hesitant to speak. Many people in the Bulgarian government were also very moved by the huge interest. Unfortunately, Germany and Italy could not pay their debts with cash, and they used industrial products to pay their debts.

However, Bulgaria has no effect at all with these industrial products. It is forbidden to sell them in the country, and they do not have such a strong sales network to sell them abroad.

So it is appropriate to let the British consortium do this business, and by the way, it can also hit the industrial development of the British Empire. When a large number of cheap goods hit their market, they will live a good life, Constantine thought maliciously.

...

As soon as the negotiations started, Russian Foreign Minister Sassonov fell into a disadvantage. There was no way who would let him borrow money? And in the whole world, only Bulgaria dares to lend them money now!

Not every country is able to withstand the pressure of Britain and France, and not every consortium has the strength to provide them with this huge sum of money.

There are no more than ten international consortiums in the world that can spend 10 billion levs at one time, and most of them are in Britain and France, and the rest is Ferdinand's royal consortium.

Originally, the Americans also had this strength, but they couldn't do it after the war. Whether it was Morgan, Locke, or Citigroup, these consortiums were severely damaged in the war.

Their appeal has been greatly reduced. With their own strength, they could not do so before the war, could they? After all, the world war has not lasted for four years, and the United States has not participated in it, and their assets have lost the opportunity to expand rapidly!

Megev said calmly, "Mr. Sassonov, we are talking about business, what price can your country pay?

You must know that the risk of this loan is as high as 98%. If there is not enough interest, it is impossible for our domestic banks to undertake it!

It is impossible for the Bulgarian government to guarantee you free of charge. Although the relationship between our two countries is very good, the figure of 10 billion is too huge, and we are really helpless! "

Seeing that Medev had already started a showdown, Russian Foreign Minister Sassonov thought for a while and said: "Mr. Medev, please believe in our sincerity. The Russian Empire can sell the province of Bessarabia (Moldova) to your country!"

Megev was overjoyed, but he still said without changing his face: "Not enough! The province of Bessarabia is not worth the price, at most it is worth 600 million levs, which is far from the loan of 10 billion levs." too far.

Mr. Sassonov, as long as you are willing to sell half of Ukraine, you can sell it for almost 10 billion levs! "

Russian Foreign Minister Sassonov's face darkened, he was joking to sell half of Ukraine, if he sold it, Nicholas II would probably skin him when he went back!

"Mr. Megev, you can't calculate it like this. The Bessarabia Province is of great strategic significance to your country. It is related to the security of Romania in the east of your country. How can this price only calculate the economic value?"

Mezev laughed and said, "It also depends on whose hands it is in. If it is in the hands of the enemy, Bessarabia is indeed a threat to us, but in the hands of your country, we can rest assured!

The long-term friendly relationship between Bulgaria and Russia is impossible to become a threat in your hands. Does Mr. Sassonov think that war will break out between our two countries? "

Sassonov was dumbfounded. He realized that people can be so shameless when they are shameless. Megev is obviously pretending to be stupid on purpose. How should he answer this?

Can it be said that war between Bulgaria and Russia is very likely in the future, so that Bulgaria can take precautions and buy Bessarabia back at a high price?

If this is the case, there is no need to talk about loans. This is just another provocation. Maybe the Bulgarian government will use it as an excuse to preemptively attack them and just grab them!

Sassonov smiled wryly and said, "Mr. Megev was joking. Given the relationship between our two countries, even if the government wants to break out of war, the people will not agree to it, right?"

Of course, they would not agree. There are so many Russian immigrants in Bulgaria. If the two governments can fight, will there be a problem?

Now Bulgaria and Russia are truly brotherly countries. Blood is thicker than water, and there is not enough conflict of interest. Any politician will not choose to turn his face?

Even if the Russian Empire is so weak now, Bulgaria has not made trouble, and even there is no voice in the government to take advantage of the fire. Isn't it because the relationship between the two parties is too deep, and it is impossible to turn their faces!

If there is no such deep relationship, Ukraine has not changed hands. Is this Ferdinand's style?

Megev nodded and said, "Of course, the Russian Empire has always been Bulgaria's most important ally, bar none!"

Sassonov didn't know whether to cry or laugh. Back then, the tsarist government supported Bulgaria because it wanted to infiltrate through immigrants and finally control Bulgaria.

Facts have proved that their plan went very smoothly, and now the Russian immigrants have completed the penetration of Bulgaria, but it is a pity that Bulgaria has also risen because of this.

On the contrary, the Russian Empire is in trouble. The original infiltration plan has now become a bond of friendly relations between the two countries!

Sassonov thought for a while and said: "Of course, Bulgaria is also the most important ally of the Russian Empire, not one of them!

What do you want, Mr. Megeve? Now the Russian Empire really needs this loan, as long as it is not too much, we can discuss it! "

Megev really wanted to add something to him, it seems that now the Russian Empire only needs Bulgaria as an ally!

After thinking for a while, Megev said: "Don't worry, Mr. Sassonov, we don't mean to be a lion. In addition to the province of Bessarabia, we also plan to extend to the Crimean Peninsula behind your country. Don't worry. In terms of price, we will not let your country suffer!"

Sassonov's face changed, and he said in a panic: "No, the Crimean Peninsula is the most important port of the Russian Empire in the Black Sea. This is really important to the Russian Empire. We cannot lose the most important commercial port and military port. base!"

Mezev smiled slightly and said, "It's not considered lost, even if you sell it to us, isn't your country still usable?

We have an alliance, the two countries can share the port, and your merchant ships and warships can still navigate freely without any restrictions, and there will be no tariffs! "

Sassonov rubbed his forehead. If it was just a commercial port, he really didn’t mind selling it. Megev was right. The tariff between Bulgaria and Russia is about zero.

All commercial trades are charged with symbolic tariffs. For each trade, no matter how large or small the amount is, both parties will each take one dollar. The Russian Empire charges one ruble, while Bulgaria charges one lev, which is almost nothing!

Although the Black Sea Fleet has been abolished and Bulgaria has risen strongly again, there are still many people in China who want to rebuild the Black Sea Fleet. It is just that the Baltic Sea is more important, which suppresses this voice.

Of course, it doesn’t exist now. Everyone is busy with the civil war. Nicholas II did not abolish the navy.

Sassonov thought for a while and said: "I'm sorry, Mr. Medev, I have to ask the country for instructions. The Crimean Peninsula is the most important port of the Russian Empire in the Black Sea. This is no longer within the scope of my decision. It's inside!"

Megev replied very gentlemanly: "It should be! If that's the case, why don't Sassonov talk about it tomorrow?"

Sassonov breathed a sigh of relief and said, "Good!"

This issue is no longer up to him to decide, and it is better to leave it to the Tsar to have a headache. Anyway, it is not the first time that the Russian Empire has sold land. The Crimean Peninsula was also taken by Russia from the Ottoman Empire, and it does not belong to the core of the Russian Empire. territory.

This is the difference between Western culture and Eastern culture. In the Eastern world, if the government sells land because of lack of money. The hat of a traitor can't be taken off; but in the Western world, are there still few land transactions in modern times?

Originally, the land was regarded by them as part of their property, and it was not unacceptable to sell the land for money, provided that the government did not sell the land!

Although the Russian Empire has no colonies, and all lands are directly ruled by the government, in fact, the Crimean Peninsula, the Bessarabia Province, and even Ukraine are not considered the mainland of the Russian Empire. Many Russians Just treat them like a colony!

This is also one of the reasons why, after the disintegration of the Soviet Union in later generations, even such an important place as Ukraine was allowed to become independent!

Please remember the first domain name of this book: . Miaoshuwu mobile version reading URL: