874.00/11–1445: Telegram
The United States Representative in Bulgaria (Barnes) to the Secretary of State
[Received November 15—1:50 p.m.]
680. Foretaste of what is doubtless in store for opposition and civil liberties in Bulgaria is perhaps given by fact that Democratic Party newspaper Zname did not appear afternoon Nov 10 nor yesterday afternoon nor will it appear this afternoon because of proposed article critical of that great liberty-loving Bulgarian Georgi Dimitrov. Non-appearance also measure of consideration really given US and UK views by local Communists.
Subservient as is all organized Bulgarian labor to Central Committee Communist Party, typesetters of print shop presses which have produced Zname refused to work on material critical Bulgaria’s greatest political blatherskite. For same reason Petkov’s Narodno Zemedelsko Zname did not appear this morning. And so as we come closer to Nov 18 so do we come to better comprehension of true state of affairs in Bulgaria. There is in reality no basic liberty for opposition nor has so-called moderate element in Govt any effective influence when it comes to matters of fundamental importance to Bulgarian people. So-called moderate element serves only as screen to hide from public view vicious practices of “new aristocracy”, already drunk with power and carousing in manner that those who went before them, bad as they were, did not dream of indulging themselves.
Reports of past 24 hours from provinces of renewed terroristic activities on part of militia and administrative organs of Ministry of Interior explain today’s exultant enthusiasm of Communists and even of such Zveno representatives in govt as Minister of Foreign Affairs with respect to foretaste November 18 election results. Petko Stainov points to Tito’s “success” Nov 112 as measure of what FF (Fatherland Front) anticipates for November 18. Even in Sofia there is hardly house or apartment that has not already been visited by representatives of FF conveying menacing indications of how occupants must conduct themselves Nov 18 if they do not wish a second “visitation” in days immediately following elections. In order [other?] words Communists are making it clear to all that US [sic] has no intention whatever of tolerating abstention from polls nor resort to blank ballots.
Repeated to Moscow as 299.
- See telegram 649, November 13, from Belgrade, vol. v, p. 1284.↩