Given 24 Hours To Leave— HUNGARY EJECTS JUGOSLAV STAFF

Greymouth Evening Star, 27 September 1949, Page 5

Given 24 Hours To Leave— HUNGARY EJECTS JUGOSLAV STAFF

I BUDAPEST, September 26 (Rec 11.10 a.m.) .—Hungary tonight ordered the tmnmary expulsion of practically every remaining member of the Jugoslav Legation staff in Budapest, because the legation is a “centre of espionage and conspiracy.” Ten tepresentatives, including the first counsellor, Dusan Dakota, the military attache and clerical and commercial staffs are covered by the 24-hour warning. Almost the only Jugoslav diplomat not affected is the Minister himself, Mr Rrujo Jovanovic. The order was contained in a sharply-worded Note handed to the Jugoslav Legation tonight.

The order reiterated the charges made at the recent trial of Laszlo Rajk of a Jugoslav conspiracy against the Hungarian Government. It rejected as “arrogant” Marshal Tito s Note of last Saturday, which protested against the Rajk trial. The order declared that because it “has been proved that the Jugoslav Legation in Budapest is a centre of espionage and conspiracy, the Hungarian Government has decided to put an end to this untenable situation.” , TT The Note concluded: “The Hungarian Government herewith notifies the' Jugoslav Government that m future it will take care that no spies and hired assassins should enter Hun-gary-in the guise of Jugoslav diplomats.” The term “hired assassins” referred to the charge made during the Rajk trial that two “experts in political assassination” had been sent to Hungary last year as. members of the Jugoslav Legation. The actual task of these men, it was alleged, was to prepare the assassination of the Hungarian Vice-Premier and Communist leader, Mr Matyas Rakosi, and other party chiefs. The expulsion note ordered those named in it to leave Hungary by tomorrow evening.