BALKANS MARCH

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20477, 11 February 1941, Page 5

BALKANS MARCH

TROOPS OF GERMANY PLANS IN BULGARIA ARMY MOBILISATION FRONTIER OF TURKEY (Elec. Tel. Copyright—Unhod Pruss Assh.) (Reed. Feb. 11, 9 a.m.) LONDON, Feb. 10. The Sofia correspondent of the Associated Press of Great Britain states that official Bulgarian quarters deny the statement attributed to Mr. Winston Churchill that German troops are already moving into Bulgaria. They add that the only German soldiers in Bulgaria have been there for a long time training the Bulgarian army in the use of its German equipment.

It is pointed out in London that Mr. Churchill did not say that German soldiers had moved in. He said that 1000 ground personnel had occupied air fields and preparations had been made for troops, adding: “Perhaps this southward movement has begun.”

The Sofia correspondent of the Daily Mail says that mobilisation of the Bulgarian Army is proceeding steadily. The majority of those called up are going to the Bulgarian-Turkish frontier. The German plan apparently is to have the Bulgarian Army to block the Turks, while the Germans proceed unhindered into Greece.

The correspondent concludes: “It is no longer considered a question as to whether the Germans will march through. It is merely a question as to when.”

M. Soboleif, the general secretary of the Soviet Commissariat of Foreign Affairs is believed to be in Sofia. It is understood he was sent by the Soviet to get information as to Bulgaria’s action towards the expected German action in the Balkans. It is also stated that a Soviet proposal for a military alliance was communicated to Bulgaria two months ago.