THE BALKANS

Timaru Herald, Volume CLIII, Issue 22479, 14 January 1943, Page 3

THE BALKANS

Evidence Of Acute Unrest Food Shortages And Losses In Russia By Telegraph—N.Z. Press Assn. —Copyright (Rec. 7.30) LONDON, Jan. 12. Evidence continues to accumulate of increasing unrest in the Balkans. Reports reaching Switzerland and Turkey say that trouble is arising chiefly over the continued heavy losses of the Balkan armies in Russia, food shortages and the growing intrusion of German authority in various Balkan countries. The Istanbul correspondent of the Associated British Press says that as a result of rioting and revolt throughout Bulgaria, Germany threatened the Bulgarian Government that she would actively intervene unless the disorders were quelled. This resulted in renewed outbreaks. Students at the military college, Sofia, forcibly occupied thq college buildings for several days and then fled to the mountains, where they have become guerrillas. Several groups of Bulgarian soldiers succeeded in crossing into Turkey after learning that they might be sent to Russia. Telephone communication with Bulgaria is still cut. Rioting in Rumania Reuter’s Zurich correspondent says that many persons were killed and injured last week as the result of rioting in Krajova, Rumania. The casualties included police. Rumania’s hospitals are so packed with war wounded that the injured persons were accommodated in a maternity clinic, from which many of the patients were removed. The Ankara correspondent of the British United Press says arrests continue in Rumania. Twenty persons were arrested in Braila where a crowd demonstrated against General Antonescu’s war policy. Reuter's Zurich correspondent says the German ambassador strongly protested because a guard of honour was not provided when diplomats arrived at a New Year reception by the Slovak puppet prime minister. It was revealed that the guard of honour was rushed to quell a disturbance outside the palace of the Archduke Friedrich of Hapsburg, where a crowd was demonstrating, demanding news of husbands and fathers mobilised for service in Russia. The recent murders of Kiazam Kotsuli and Lele Kotchi, respectively Minister of State and Governor of the Valona district, Albania, have convinced the Italians that a reconciliation with the Albanian patriots is impossible, says the Istanbul correspondent of the “Daily Telegraph.” Kotsuli and Kotchi went to a guerrilla district to attempt to induce the patriots to abandon their resistance to the Italians, but the patriots immediately killed them. The patriots have since stepped up the warfare against the invaders. Several bombings have occulted in Valona, where Italian cinemas and a military club were razed by fire. Buildings elsewhere in which Italians 'were housed were also burned. Numerous instances of sabotage are reported.

The German controlled Scandinavian News Agency reports that of 184 persons arrested in Sofia, 116 were placed in a concentration camp.