874.00/12–2045: Telegram
The United States Representative in Bulgaria (Barnes) to the Secretary of State
[Received December 23—2:20 a.m.]
770. Freedom of press for the opposition began to deteriorate even before November 18 elections. Zname, of Mushanov’s Democratic Party, was effectively suppressed well before elections by “refusal” of print shop employees to produce it. Other opposition papers were also threatened with same club in hands of Communist-controlled organized labor. Opposition papers also ran into distribution trouble with the only existing distribution agency, which is Govt-controlled.
Now, however, Govt hostility to freedom of press is coming out into the open. Seven weekly newspapers critical of govt have been stopped by order of the militia. Protesting against this action, a delegation of newspaper Reps has been informed by Minister of Information and Arts (formerly Minister of Propaganda) that decision to suppress these weekly newspapers, which concentrate on political ideology rather than on news, had been taken by Council of Ministers because (1) too many newspapers “mislead, disorient and divide” Bulgn people and (2) as Bulgaria has not signed peace treaty “its Govt is not entirely independent.”
The insinuation of ACC action has provoked daily opposition press to demand statement of facts—has ACC interfered with freedom of press or not? It hardly needs to be mentioned here that American, Brit delegates on Commission know nothing about the matter.
Narodno Zemedelsko Zname (Petkov Agrarian) is now appearing daily with greatest difficulty. By order of Russian-trained Communist Chief-of-Staff of Bulgn Army, Gen Kinov, Petkov’s newspaper may no longer be printed on presses of army-owned printing establishment as formerly because of critical attitude toward Govt and Communist indoctrination of army. As all presses capable of publishing 4-page daily in large numbers belong to the Govt (they were seized from private ownership by former regime), Petkov’s newspaper is now limping along with two pages printed by difficult and inefficient means. By dint of great effort Mushanov’s Zname has reappeared for the last 2 days. Likewise it is suffering from inadequate printing facilities.
At the present moment the opposition press consists of the curtailed Narodno Zemedelsko Zname, Zname of the Democrats, and Svoboden Narod of the Lulchev Socialists. Their existence, however, is most precarious not only because of the threat that organized labor may at any time be ordered by Central Committee of Communist Party to cease work and unavailability of adequate presses, but also because of growing insistence by FF Central Committee for drastic action against [Page 415] all manifestations of opposition to Govt. FF newspaper yesterday published following warning in bold-face type: “National Committee expresses its indignation over dishonest attacks and slanders of opposition press against National Assembly and its members. In name of 3,397,672 voters who have sent their Reps to National Assembly, National Committee protests against these provocations and invites Govt and National Assembly to take the necessary measures for defense of honor and dignity of National Assembly and its deputies in order to preclude excesses against these provocateurs and slanderers which would be undesirable in present international situation.[”]
This left-handed effort at prior justification of any “excesses” that Front may decide to indulge in is typical of mental processes and distorted political views of those who are now master in Bulgaria. Also indicative of more trouble to come for the opposition is following from newspaper of Communist Party: “November 18 was a brilliant victory but noble and good Bulgn people know that opposition, although crushed, will not abandon struggle. It will use every means against FF. The proverb that the snake becomes even more dangerous before its death must not be forgotten”.
Rptd to Moscow as 343.