THE BALKANS

Grey River Argus, 13 December 1940, Page 7

THE BALKANS

RUMANIAN MARTIAL uAW «• [Aus. & N.Z. Cable Assn. I LONDON December 11. The Bucharest correspondent' of the Associated Press of Great Britain says that General Antonescu has issued a decree, virtually placing Rumania under military rule. The army is given power over nearly every branch of the nation’s life,, which will enable it to mi.itarise any State institution or corporal ion, also to militarise the police throughout th fi nation Evidence of the tension existing between the Germans in Rumania and the people was manifest when a fire brok e but in th e petrol zone last night. German troops helped to prevent the fire from spreading, and then placed under arrest all the workmen engaged in boring operations at the well. It is not known whether the fire was a result of accident or sabotage. A message from Sofia says that King Bori s of Bulgaria gave an audience to th e Bulgarian Minister to Turkey (M. Sava Kiroff), who is expected to go to Ankara in a few days. The authorities regard the meeting as very significant, in view of Bulgaria’s determination to reach an understanding with Turkey. The Budapest radio stated that Count Csaky would leave shortly for Bucharest at the invitation of the Rumanian Government. The visit, is expected to last seven days.

YUGOSLAVIA AND HUNGARY. PACT EXPECTED. [British Official Wireless] (Receved December 12, 9.20 p.m.) LONDON, December 11. The “Daily Telegraph's”. Belgrade correspondent says: Count Czaky, Hungarian Foreign Minister, has arrived in Belgrade, and it is generally expected Yugoslavia and Hungary will conclude a pact. The correspondent adds that it also •is believed that Count Csaky’s visit aims to give Hungarians an illusion that their country is able to carry out an independent foreign policy. SOVIET AND BULGARIA (Received December 12, 7.55 p.m.) SOFIA, December .11. According to a well-informed German source, Bulgaria ha« turned down a Russian proposal for a pact, of mutual assistance Ex-King Carol (Received December 12, 7.45 p.m.) LONDON, December It “Th e Times” Lisbon correspondent says that ex-King Carol of Rumania, who is staying in th e city of Seville, in Spain, has for some weeks been a virtual prisoner there. He rarely goe s ou t. ’When he does go out, he is always escorted by police. The correspondent adds that ’it is relieved that German pressure is ■responsible for his not departing from Spain.