Czech Girl ‘In Moscow’

Press, Volume CVIII, Issue 31769, 28 August 1968, Page 18

Czech Girl ‘In Moscow’

(N Z. P.A.-Reuter—Copyright)

LONDON, August 26.

The missing 17-year-old daughter of a leading Czechoslovak Communist left London for Moscow last Thursday, the Soviet Embassy in London said yesterday.

An embassy official said the girl. Miss Nada Bilak, had gone to join her sick mother and her father, Mr Vasil Bilak, who was taking part in talks with Soviet leaders. Mr Bilak has been denounced by some Czechoslovak radio stations as a possible collaborator with the Russians. Miss Bilak, who had been doing voluntary flood relief work at Carlisle, 300 miles north of London, disappeared on Wednesday night. Other Czechoslovak students at the camp where she was staying said she left with a Russian-speaking couple who told her that her mother was ill.

The Soviet spokesman said today: “We received a message from her mother who is in Moscow saying she was ill and asking us to tell Nada.

"We asked a Soviet postgraduate student who was passing through Carlisle to pass on the message to Nada.” The official continued: “She came to the Soviet consulate in London on Thursday and asked for a visa to visit Russia. We explained that people from other Socialist countries did not need visas.

“She left for Moscow later that day on an ordinary commercial flight. I assume that she is now in Moscow.” Police said later this morning—before the Soviet announcement—that they had failed to find any trace of the missing girl. A Czechoslovak Embassy spokesman said last night he knew nothing about her mother being ill. The family lives in Bratislava.

Police launched a hunt for her 60 hours later when she was reported missing. On Saturday a card with a London postmark was received at the camp. It said: “I am all right.”