NAZI MOVE THROUGH BULGARIA ALMOST CERTAIN

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 85, Issue 31, 6 February 1941, Page 5

NAZI MOVE THROUGH BULGARIA ALMOST CERTAIN

COUNTRY’S TRAGIC PLIGHT OBSERVERS SAY THAT GERMANS ARE READY TO MOVE (By Telegraph— Press Association Copyright! Received Feb. 5, .10.5 p.m. LONDON, Feb. 5. The. Times’ Sofia correspondent says that a German move through Bulgaria may now be considered almost certain. Bulgaria’s position has developed gradually from a difficult and delicate one to desperate and tragic. She is not expected to be able io retain her independence for more than a few weeks. Great diplomatic pressure is being exerted to induce h’er to sign a Three-Power Pact, the. draft of which Colonel Draganoff, the Bulgarian Minister in Berlin, has delivered at Sofia. Since the German “proposal” means a demand it is unlikely that Bulgaria will be able again to decline or postpone a decision.

It is reliably reported in Bucharest and also in Bulgarian and Danubian ports, that German military preparations have reached a final phase. Hundreds of lorries are massed, on roads leading to Bulgaria. Observers on the Bulgarian side of lhe soul hern Danube have seen Germans preparing barges and pontoons. German “technicians” are installed in almost all large Bulgarian towns and also strategic points in northern Bulgaria. “Tourists” who are Hooding leading Bulgarian cilies will undoubtedly take over control the moment Germany launches a Balkan “blitz.” The Bulgarian tragedy will begin when Turkey officially declares that the passing of foreign troops across Bulgaria will be dangerous to Turkish interests. The Turkish Army may not wait until the Germans reach the Turkish-Bulgarian frontier. Thus , Bulgaria may immediately become the centre of Balkan mill- j tary operations, which will certainly be ruinous to the country.

Bulgarian forces manning the Turkish-Bulgarian frontier may easily be dragged into operations and it is unlikely that any Bulgarian commander will agree not to oppose the Turks, even it ordered to do so from Sofia. This seems part of the German plan, because, after clashes on the | Turkish-Bulgarian frontier Sofia’s pro-German Government, might seek German help against Turkish aggression. On the contrary a strong opposition is developing among the moderates and Communists in Bulgaria, both of whom are requesting the Government to sign a Russian-Bul-garian pact of military assistance, but the army, whose high officers are completely under German influence, will not tolerate this, even were the Government willing. ' M, Bagrianoff, the Bulgarian Minister of Agriculture, a stauch pro- , German, has resigned. This is believed to be as the result of a quarrel with Professor Filoff, Prime Minister, over the question of the passage of German troops. His resignation may lead to a serious crisis. The Ministry of Agriculture, which Professor Filoff has taken over, is second in importance to the Premiershio. I