The Conference of Berlin of 1878 recognized the full independence of the principalities of Serbia, Montenegro and Romania, and the autonomy of Bulgaria, which was still formally under the authority of the Ottoman Empire and which was divided between the Principality of Bulgaria and the province autonomy of Eastern Rumelia, thus frustrating the Russian plans to create a "Great Bulgaria" allied with Russia. The Bulgarian territories of San Stefano were divided into three units: the autonomous principality, Rumelia with its Christian governor approved by the great powers and also autonomous, and Macedonia, which remained fully incorporated into the empire.
The Ottoman province of Bosnia-Herzegovina and the sanctuary of Novi Pazar fell under Austro-Hungarian military occupation, although formally they still belonged to the Ottoman Empire. The boundaries drawn in the treaty remained almost unchanged until the Balkan wars of 1912-1913.
Romania obtained part of the Dobruya, but had to cede to Russia the south of Bessarabia. Russia also received Ardahan, Batum and Kars.
The three new independent states were proclaimed kingdoms (Romania on March 13, 1881, Serbia on March 23, 1882 and Montenegro on August 28, 1910), while Bulgaria would not proclaim full independence until 1908, after annexing East Rumelia in 1885. Austria-Hungary annexed Bosnia in 1908, provoking the Bosnian crisis, one of the largest in Europe. The Balkan territories were disappointed by the treaty, which did not satisfy their territorial anxieties.
The Conference also vaguely proposed a rectification of borders between the Kingdom of Greece and the Ottoman Empire that was carried out after intense negotiations in 1881 with the transfer of Thessaly to Greece.
