874.00/6–1645: Telegram
The United States Representative in Bulgaria (Barnes) to the Secretary of State
[Received 5:20 p.m.]
321. The Cabinet has now fixed on Aug 26 for general elections. The date does not become definitive until approved by the Regents. Obviously the time has arrived to determine what steps shall be taken to assure if possible free democratic elections in Bulgaria.
The major hindrances to such elections are the provisions of the new electoral law, enumerated in my tel 303 of June 7, the dominant role of the Communists in the FF, the “bob-tailed” nature of the other party representation in that front, as it will probably develop within the next few days (my 320, of today’s date), the completely Soviet character of the ACC and the presence of at least 150,000 Red Army troops in the country. The Communists count on the general fear instilled by the presence of Russian authority and synods and at the Communist-controlled militia, plus the restrictive and tricky provisions of the electoral law and the chicanery thereunder to which the Communist minority may freely resort, to assure the election of a Parliament satisfactory to their purposes and productive of a Communist-dominated Cabinet.
[Page 259]The provision of the electoral law not yet mentioned, but upon which the Communists are also counting to assure returns satisfactory to them, is that of compulsory voting, failing which heavy monetary payments must be made. Also it is now clear that the device of single FF list will be imposed. Parliamentary mandates will be apportioned on the bases of proportional representation which in itself will weight results in favor of united lists.
Participation in the joint lists by the “rump” groups of Agrarians and Socialists in the front will effectively preclude the listing of candidates desired by the great mass of the Agrarians and a very large portion of the Socialists. With Burov, Mushanov and the important Agrarian leader Gichev locked up in prison and with Dimitrov in refuge, the great bulk of such truly democratic elements as do exist in the country will be deprived of any effective leadership and of any real means of expression during the electoral campaign.
Under these circumstances the outcome of the elections will be a foregone conclusion unless effective international control is exercised. In my opinion the formula for such control was set forth in Deptel 84, March 29.99 I consider such control to be imperative if out of the forthcoming elections there is to issue a Govt with which the democratic nations might seriously consider making peace.
I do not believe that a Tripartite Commission of Control sitting in Sofia would alone suffice. First of all, the right for all democratic groups to file lists must be assured. This positive approach would be better than the negative one of opposing joint FF lists. Let those who wish to join in the FF lists but at the same time obtain for those who remain outside the front, Agrarians, Socialists and all other democratic elements, the right to present candidates and to hold onto old line party organizations. Second, all cases of candidates excluded because of “Fascist taint” should be subject to review by the International Commission in Sofia. And third but not by any means least important: the Commission of three should be represented on election day and for several days before and thereafter in each administrative division of the country (about 90 in number) by a subcommittee of two, a Brit or an Amer officer and a Russ officer, with one or two trustworthy interpreters. These subcommittees would tour their respective admin areas by car to receive complaints of election irregularities and to exercise first hand supervision over balloting. They would however be effective primarily because of psychological factor; that is the mere presence of them throughout the country would go a long way to overcome the fear instilled by the militia and the presence of the Red Army.
[Page 260]Genl Crane and our Brit colleagues also, I believe, are in full agreement with the foregoing analysis and recomendations. The Genl and I hope the Dept will find it possible to communicate its views and recommendations with respect to the foregoing at an early date. Early comment by the Dept on the contents of my 311, June 11 would also be helpful.
Repeated to Moscow as 169 and AmPolAd as 165.