BULGARIA AND MACEDONIA.

Otago Witness, Issue 3610, 22 May 1923, Page 22

BULGARIA AND MACEDONIA.

LONDON, May 14. The So Hi a correspondent of The Times says that war is threatened in connection with the Bulgarian-Macedonian quarrel. The Macedonians have completely usurped the Bulgarian Government’s authority in the Petritch-Nevrekop district, and are taxing the people to provide the Macedonians with munitions of war. The Government has arrested numerous Macedonians, and has ordered a general agrarian mobilisation, under which kU,OOO persons will shortly be summoned. SOFIA, May 15. The small voluntary army which Bulgaria possesses is being exclusively trained lor action against the Macedonians. M. Mouravieff, Minister of W ar, declared: “They may kill me and other members of my party, but we will not alter our policy to put an end once and for all to tire Macedonian disturbers of the peace.” It is difficult to ascertain the countermeasures which to-day M. Alexaaidroff, leader of the insurgents, and his Serbian and Macedonian followers are taking, but M. Mouravieff has been reliably informed that they have decided to fight to a finish. Attention is focussed on Kustendil and Petri tell, where hostilities are likely to commence. The only hope for avoidance of a conflict seems to lie in one of the parties hesitating to be the first to move ill the matter, as the consequences will be most far-reaching.