BULGARIA AND THE WAR

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LVI, 3 April 1923, Page 5

BULGARIA AND THE WAR

TRIAL OF MINISTERS AND

GENERALS

THE SENTENCES

(By Electric Telegraph—Copyright). (Router's Telegrams). „ SOFIA, April 1. The Supreme Court gave judgment in the cases of the generals and Ministers who were in office at the tiiiKy of Bulgaria's entry into the war. 'the Premier. M. R.'idoslovofT, and five other members of the Cabinet, have been sentenced to imprisonment for life, , and General Xaidcnoff to fifteen years imprisonment. The sentence on other ministers and generals range from ten years to five, years. All the prisoners lose their political and civil rights lor life.

DEFENCE SPEECH LASTS A MONTH

SOFIA, April 1. Radoslavoff and his colleagues, who have been imprisoned since 1919, were charged with treason by involving Bulgaria in a war without Parliament’s consent and with stealing millions of public money. General Xaidcnoff, ex-Mmis-ter for War, was sentenced to fifteen years’ imprisonment and General Zecoff, evCommander-in-Chief, to ten years imnrisonment. The chief feature of the long drawn out trial was the speech for the defence by Touteheff, ex-Minister for Finance, oiie of those convicted, which lasted for a month. Touteheff declared Bulgaria did not enter the war on the Allies’ side because Serbia, Greece and Roumania refused the slightest territorials concessions and the Entente only offered ir.significant compensation from Serbian nxd Greek territory. Although Britain officially invited Bulgaria’s assistance the Ministry learned elsewhere that Britain really did not desire Bulgaria to participate for fear Russia would obtain possession of Constantinople. The Ministry also believed Italy and Russia did not' want Bulgarian help.