BULGARIA & AXIS

Grey River Argus, 9 January 1941, Page 5

BULGARIA & AXIS

PREMIER DENIES REPORTS SOFIA, January 7. M. Filoff ha's returned from Vienna. He did not comment on reports of German troop concentrations on the Danube, opposite Bulgaria. The Government spokesman declared: “We have no knowledge of any basis for these rumours.” BERLIN, January 7.

The D.N.B. correspondent at Sofia states that M. Filoff has arrived at Sofia. M. Filoff said “The reports concerning my visit to Germany are untrue.” He refused to amplify the statement, which is understood to mean that he has not received an ultimatum demand.

NO ULTIMATUM. TO BULGARIA YET. (Received January 8. 9.55 p.m.) RUGBY, January 7. There is no confirmation in London of the report that a German ultimatum has been sent to Bulgaria. Iron Guard Split

IN RUMANIA FIGHTING REPORTED LONDON, J’anuary 7. According to news reaching the Bulgarian frontier, bitter fighting has broken out between rival factions of the- Iron Guard in Rumania, many of whom have been killed. Rumania has been cut off by telephone for the past three days, but stories of shooting, sabotage and terror are trickling across the frozen Danube from Giur Giu. The moderate members of the Iron Guard, who under Horia Sima support General Antonescu’s Government, are apparently ranged against the extreme Nationalist elements claiming to represent the real doctrines of M. Codreanu.

“The Times” Belgrade correspondent says reports multiply that the Antonescu Government is rapidly losing ground, due to popular discontent against German domination, the increased cost of living, and arrests, of supposed Communists. German troops are stated to have clashed with the Rumanians in Moldavia.

Roumanian Dislike OF german domination. (Received January 9, 12.15 a.m.) LONDON, January 8. The Belgrade correspondent of the “Daily Telegraph,” referring to fighting among Roumanian, Iron Guards, says; “The situation is almost like one of civil war. The majority of the Iron Guard is gravitating to the Codreanist gi’oup, which disapproves of any foreign influence in Roumania. Thus they are making common cause with the masses who dislike German domination,

which feeling is manifest in all fields of Roumanian life.”

Behind Schedule SOVIET OIL PRODUCTION MOSCOW, January 7. “Izvestia” stated that the Soviet oil production in 1940 exceeded that in 1939 but has not reached the programme. “Izvestia” urges that the original estimate for 1941 should be increased, because of the growing needs of the defence services.