KING PETER TO GO

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume 80, 1 December 1945, Page 5

KING PETER TO GO

REPUBLIC PROCLAIMED IN YUGOSLAVIA UNANIMOUS DECISION OF PARLIAMENT London, Nov. 29. Belgrade radio announced that the Constituent Assembly has decided to proclaim a republic and also that King: Peter and members of the Karadjordjevic family should be deprived of all vested rights. The new republic is taking the name of Federal People’s Republic of Yugoslavia. The allegation that King Peter tied the country and left the Yugoslav people to their fate is contained in the proclamation of the joint session of the Constituent Assembly, at which it was decided to divest the King of his rights and establish a republic, says Belgrade

radio. The proclamation declared that King Peter’s actions during the struggle for liberation undermined the resistance of the people against the occupation forces and alleged that he assisted those who fought against the Liberation Army and the peoples of Yugoslavia during the struggle for liberation. The radio adds that both Houses of the Constituent Assembly voted separately and unanimously agreed to the proposal. King Peter’s salary will cease as a result of the proclamation of the Yugoslav Republic, says the “Daily Mail.” He is leaving London with his family and will live in the country to save what little money he has left. The King explained that he helped so many of his exiled subjects that he had little money left. Belgrade radio reports great celebrations at the fall of the King. Tens of thousands massing in Belgrade are clamouring to see Marshal, Tito. The country will change its national anthem, choosing a tune expressing the will of a free people and not an alien royalist tune. KING PETER'S STATEMENT King Peter in an official statement declared that Marshal Tito has introduced a totalitarian form of government in most striking contrast to the ideals of the United Nations. He rushed through the elections long before the life of the country had reached any degree of freedom and stability. The Constituent Assembly’s action declaring Yugoslavia a republic was the result of a series of acts by Marshal Titi which removed such decision from the hands of the people and placed it entirely within his own and those of the National Front. The statement alleged that Marshal Tito broke the Tito-Subasic agreemnt to which the King had agreed at the express advice of the Allies. Marshal Tito never made public letters relating to the resignation of Subasic which charged Tito’s regime with deceit and non-execution of the agreement, and said: “The collapse of democracy in Yugoslavia and the ensuing catastrophe will ..ot confine itself to that country a ]o-no King Peter would accept the people’s free decision on a different system 'of Government, but meanwhile he would continue to try to liberate Yugoslavia from tyranny, no matter from where it came. POPULAR WILL REFLECTED The diplomatic correspondent of “The Times” says it was stated here last night that although some parts of the recent elections in Yugoslavia were not satisfactory the British Government regards them in the main as reflecting the popular will and will recognise the Constituent Assembly as an elected body with sovereign rights. Queen Mane of Yugoslavia (the Queen Mother) issued the following statement: "My heart bleeds when I think that my people’s valorous fight in the war against tyranny left them with no possibility of freely expressing their will. They have never had less freedom than to-day, although even citizens of enemy count Hes have been given the right to express freely their will. I hope the day will come when my people also will have the right to s,.are the fruits of victory over tyranny and become free citizens freed from fear.”