874.00/10–445: Telegram
The United States Representative in Bulgaria (Barnes) to the Secretary of State
[Received October 4—5:20 p.m.]
577. Prime Minister told me yesterday that all signs are lacking of preparations by Agrarians and Social Democrats outside FF (Fatherland Front) for participation in forthcoming general elections. He maintains that intransigence of opposition is established by Petkov’s demands on Kolarov. (Please see Rewinkel’s 547, Sept 18). He admits, on the other hand, that Communists, supported by Russia, cannot be ousted from Ministries of Interior and Justice. This admission indirectly supports much reported in mission’s telegrams 520, Sept 10, and 550, Sept 19. Pit of situation is that postponement of Aug elections did gain at least provisional legal status and surprisingly free press for opposition parties. With a little more patriotism and a little less partisanship on both sides, and if Russia could be induced to relax pressure, or our pressure and that of UK could be stepped up to match Russia’s, I believe that in 2 weeks intervening between now and time when lists of candidates must [be made up?] formula could be found which would sufficiently improve electoral prospects for opposition as to cause opposition parties to file lists.
These parties realize that concessions which they may reasonably demand of Communist Party are limited by fact that without important participation in the Govt by Communists, labor disorders would break out throughout country. On other hand, they are determined not to participate in elections, results of which foregone conclusion, so long as militia instrument of Communist Party intimidation and administrative and judicial organs of Ministers Interior and Justice throughout country staffed by Communists to extent 80 to 90%.
The recent completion of Georgiev Cabinet by inclusion therein of radical leader Stoyan Kosturkov as Minister of Education and Obbov Agrarian Mihail Gonovski as Minister of Agriculture reveals that despite concessions made under pressure election postponement, Prime Minister remains strong exponent authorization [authoritarian] Gov. Kosturkov is old and shopworn product outstanding pro-German Bulgarian political party First World War. During pre-eminence Regent Filov in Second World War, Kosturkov never doubted Germany’s ability to gain total victory. Former Minister of Education Cholakov74 has become Minister of Finance and Obbov, who was temporarily in charge of Ministry of Agriculture, remains in Cabinet [Page 343] as Minister without portfolio. These changes mark end for time being of negotiations looking to return Petkov Agrarians to Fatherland Front.
Repeated to Moscow as No. 260.
- Stanko (Stancho) Cholakov.↩