The BSCRC, formed by Zahari Stoyanov, began actively popularizing the idea of unification by means of the press and public demonstrations in the spring of 1885.

The 10th Russo-Turkish War ended with the signing of the preliminary Treaty of San Stefano, which cut large territories from the Ottoman Empire.

The union activists from Eastern Rumelia sent Stefan Panaretov, a lecturer in Robert College, to consult the British opinion on the planned unification.

His relations with Russia had worsened to such extent that the Russian emperor and the pro-Russian circles in Bulgaria openly called for Alexander's abdication.

[citation needed] The unification was initially scheduled for the middle of September, while the Rumelian militia was mobilized for performing manoeuvres.

BSCRC representatives were sent to different towns in the province, where they had to gather groups of rebels and send them to Plovdiv, the capital of Eastern Rumelia, where they were under the command of Major Danail Nikolaev.

On the next day, accompanied by the prime minister Petko Karavelov and the head of Parliament Stefan Stambolov, Prince Alexander I entered the capital of the former Eastern Rumelia.

In the years after the signing of the Berlin treaty, the St. Petersburg government had often expressed its view that the creation of Eastern Rumelia out of southern Bulgaria was an unnatural division and would be short-lived.

First, Russia exerted successful diplomatic pressure upon the Ottoman Empire constraining it from sending forces into Eastern Rumelia.

Also, in 1881, in a special protocol, created after the re-establishment of the League of the Three Emperors, it was noted that Austria-Hungary and Germany would show support for a possible union of the Bulgarians.

Upon the ascension of Prince Alexander I to the Bulgarian throne, Russia dispatched numerous military officers and consultants to Bulgaria to further its diplomatic goals in the region.

While Salisbury had fiercely argued for the separation Eastern Rumelia during the Berlin Congress, he then claimed that the circumstances had changed; and the unification was necessary, as it would prevent Russian expansion towards Constantinople.

They soon realised the reality of the situation, and after the Russian official position was announced, Great Britain gave its support for the Bulgarian cause, but not until Bulgarian-Ottoman negotiations began.

Austria-Hungary's aim was to win influence in Serbia, while at the same time directing Serbian territorial appetites towards the south instead of north and north-west.

At the same time the Ottoman Empire was advised in harsh tone both by London and St. Petersburg not to take any such actions and instead to wait for the decision of the international conference.

[4] Following the proclamation of unification, Greek prime minister Theodoros Diligiannis protested against the violation of the Treaty of Berlin along with Serbia.

Diligiannis informed the Great Powers that he did not intend to get involved in a war with the Ottomans and only sought to appease the pro-war part of the population.

Three of his ministers namely Antonopoulos, Zygomalas and Romas urged him to invade Epirus and organize a revolt in Ottoman Crete in order to restore the status quo ante bellum.

A group of nationalist Greek officers launched incursions across the Ottoman border leading to five days of clashes without Trikoupis's knowledge or approval.

Greece had spent 133 million drachmas without achieving any of its foreign policy goals, while its society became deeply polarized between the supporters of Diligiannis and Trikoupis respectively.

However, after the decisive Battle of Slivnitsa, the Serbs suffered a quick defeat and the Bulgarians advanced into Serbian territory up to Pirot.