BULGARIA SAID TO BE DECIDED FOR WAR.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LII, Issue 16035, 29 September 1915, Page 8

BULGARIA SAID TO BE DECIDED FOR WAR.

OPPOSITION PARTIES TIRED OF PROTESTING.

UNFRIENDLY NEUTRALITY TO DECLARED HOSTILITY. Times »nd Sydney Sua Services. September 27. The newspaper Echo de Paris declares that the Opposition parties in Bulgaria have abandoned the struggle, and will allow the Government to act as it pleases. It is probable that Bulgaria will observe for a- more or less extended period an attitude which will be a sort of transition between unfriendly neutrality and declared hostility. During this doubtful period all military preparations will be completed.

, v Shortly before the Bulgarian . mobilisation the leaders of the five political parties representing the Opposition had a two and a-half hoars' audience with the King, the Crown Prince and M. Dobrovitch, the King's chief counsellor. The deputation urged that it would be fatal to adopt a neutral attitude, and recommended a Coalition Cabinet and the immediate summoning of the Sobranje to safeguard the country against a policy contrary to the interests and senti- '"' ments of the nation. All pronounced against a policy favourable to the Central Powers, and advised* the formation of a Coalition Cabinet. The King subsequently summoned the Premier. The Sobranje, elected in March, 1914, contains nominally 126 Ministerialists, 51 Agrarians, 21 Socialists, 31 Democrats, 9 Nationalists, 5 Radicals, and 2 Zankovists. The Austrophile policy of Bulgaria dates most definitely from the time King Ferdinand took into favour three chiefs of the Liberal groups of the old Stambulovist Party—Badoslavoff, Ghennadieff, and Tontcheff. This Austrophile Government has never received a real majority in the country, but after two general elections and the use of various autocratic and corrupt measures it has a nominal majority in the Chamber. It was reported some time ago that the Government was in a minority in the Chamber, and only succeeded in appeasing the Opposition by promising that Bulgaria would never march against Russia.