874.00/4–1745: Telegram
The United States Representative in Bulgaria (Barnes) to the Secretary of State
[Received 3:28 p.m.]
206. See my 173, April 2, 3 p.m. and 190, April 10, 5 p.m.24 Communist determination to dictate Agrarian Party action through Fatherland Front leadership seems about to precipitate a cabinet crisis. The Communists are infuriated with the Agrarian youth organization, which at Aceceni Congress expresses enthusiasm for G. M. Dimitrov. The Communists have given the Agrarians 10 days in which to subordinate themselves more fully to FF doctrines as they interpreted it. Yesterday Sisrue of the Communist Party organ bitterly attacked Dimitrov and accused all those who support him of being enemies of the FF. Communist concern over the persistent popularity of Dimitrov and a recent British demarche on his behalf (fearing the Communists were plotting to try him as a Fascist under the decree law for the defense of the people’s rights) are important factors in the situation. The Communists have asked the Agrarian Ministers, Petkov and Bumbarov,25 to publish articles against G. M. Dimitrov which they have refused to do.
The four Agrarian Ministers, Petkov, Bumbarov, Pavlov26 and Derzhanski,27 have offered their resignations to the Prime Minister and they appear determined not to compromise further. Petkov will shortly see General Biryuzov and will try to convince him that the Agrarians are entirely loyal to Russia and have every desire to remain the FF Cabinet so long as this does not require sacrificing their party and they are treated as trusted friends. Zveno members of the front are most anxious to avoid a showdown and are urging the Communists to restrain themselves and the Agrarians to be conciliatory in the interest of preserving the FF. Prime Minister Georgiev was recently described as spending most of his time “putting out fires”.
If the present Agrarian Ministers do withdraw from the Cabinet it is not unlikely that the Communists can find other Agrarians, less determined in their support of the party than in the pursuit of their own individual interests, to join the government. Alexander Obbov, Stefan Tonchev, Georgi Dragnev and Stefan Simov are names that come to mind in this connection.
Repeated to Moscow as 93 and to AmPolAd as 103.