WHAT OF BULGARIA?

Evening Post, Volume CXXXVIII, Issue 57, 5 September 1944, Page 5

WHAT OF BULGARIA?

, MOSCOW MOVES GENTLY . Rec. 11 a.m. RUGBY, September 4. The situation at the southern end of i the Russian front is still fluid. There j are no indications of the state of affairs in the western part of Rumania. From Ruschuk, on the Danube, south of Bucharest, to the Black Sea coast, the Russians are lining the frontier of Bulgaria, with which they are not at war. despite the assistance that Bulgaria has given and still gives to Germany. Russia had special reasons for refraining from a declaration of war during the past three years. She calculated that the Bulgarian army could not be induced to take part in Ger-' many's campaign of conquest against Russia, and that when the right time came Bulgaria, one of .Germany's fairweather satellites, could be prevailed on without hostilities to'quit the sinking ship. Moscow therefore main-

tamed diplomatic relations with Sofia, and. is now, maybe, making use of them to complete Germany's ruin in the Balkans. Bulgarian territory could provide the link, so long lacking, between powerful Allied forces and the extensive territories held by the Yugoslav partisans. This being so, the suspension of Allied discussions with the Bui-' garian envoys in Cairo seems of little moment. Mushanov decided that he was not empowered to continue them until the new Government under Muraviev is completed and gives him fresh instructions. The course of events in Finland over the weekend may not be without influence on Bulgaria's action. If the Bulgarians still harbour any ideas that they may be allowed to retain their easy spoils at the expense of Greece or Yugoslavia, Mushanov' should be already in a position to disillusion them. Indeed, a Cairo message indicates that the Greeks are already taking matters into their own hands. It is reported that a party of Germans on the Turkish frontier has been surrounded by Greek patriots, who are said to be in effective control of the Greek side of the frontier. There have also been indications in the last few days that some Germans are being withdrawn from the Aegean Islands, particularly Crete, although not on a large scale. The evacuation is being restricted by lack of transport and by R.A.F. attacks. The troops are being removed in small vessels capable of carrying not more than two to three hundred men. and no major attempt at evacuation is anticipated.—B.O.W.