874.00/9–2645: Telegram
The Secretary of the United States Mission in Bulgaria (Rewinkel) to the Secretary of State
[Received 10:15 p.m.]
561. Third exposition [opposition] newspaper, that of Nikola Petkov’s Agrarian Party, appeared today with Petkov himself as editor. Controversy regarding its name was settled by calling it Narodno Zemedelsko Zname (People’s Agrarian Banner) as distinct from Obbov’s FF (Fatherland Front) Agrarian Zemedelsko Zname. (Remytel 532, Sept. 15).71 Petkov’s leading article attacks FF for attempting to institute one party system in Bulgaria as well as fanaticism and extremism of dominating Communist group. He criticizes FF for admitting a faction of radical party (remytel 552, Sept. 22),72 the leader of which St. Kosturkov73 he terms a known Germanophile before Sept. 1944. He also points out contradiction between Georgiev’s wish to readmit opposition into FF and National Committee’s statement that opposition is an anti people center of reaction. Thus greatest political party in Bulgaria now in bitter opposition to autocratic Communist-controlled Georgiev govt has finally been permitted to publish a paper but only with great difficulty and after overcoming innumerable obstacles deliberately placed in his way by FF.