Evening star., 1949-04-16
Former Bu|gar Envoy
Says Dimitrov Trip
Means He Is Out
By NicoIos Antonoff

-
by NicoIos AntonoH
Former BvIsorisn Minister TO Soviet.
Rvssio ond 10 Turkey
North American Newspaper AlIiones
Bulgaria shortly will have q new
:boss." Such is the inevitable in
depreciation of the official Sofia
announcement that the Premier
and leader of the Communist
Party has been granted home leave
and has left for Russia for a cure.
In view of the present very deli
cate situation, this can be nothing
less than a final parting; resigna-
ton or dismissal.
The importance OF the departure
Of Georgi Dimitrov is strengthened
by another communique, issued at
the same time, according to which
Traicho Kostov, whom the gov
ernment itself had proclaimed an
enemy Of Dimitrov, has been ap-
pointed director of the National
Library in Sofia.
This Is indeed a very minor
position, but it shows the begin
ming of rehabilitation" 1t Is
clear that Kostov has preserved
his influence in the party and in
the country and still represents a
power against which his enemies
will find it hard to operate.
One can reckon therefore that
Dimitrov has been sacrificed or
has sacrificed himself to help In
the fight for the elimination of
Kostov. A fact that reinforces
this supposition Is that 'the boss"
has left Bulgaria without himself
issuing any proclamation to tell
the people of his departure.
Sent to Sofia by StaIin.,
Dimitrov is really Ill, and In
fact 1t was not lately he who
governed the country. But his
illness alone could not be respon-
sible for his retirement at this
moment.
Although Dimitrov never has
been unanimously acclaimed sole
leader of the Bulgarian Com
munist Party, his colleagues have
accepted his leadership because
of his close connection with Prime
Minister Stain, who sent him to
Sofia. But only because of this.
Dimitrov is the founder Of the
"Fatherland Front" which is DOM
mated by the Communists. A
cowardly and highly suspicious
individual, he awaited definite
consolidation of the new govern
ment before. in 1945, arriving in
Sofia to direct matters of state.
An example as to how Dimitrov
felt in Sofia is given by the fact
that he has had number OF resi-
dences which he changed success
sively, each one of which had been
isolated by high walls so that the
outside world could not have a
peep in.
Printing House Worker.
A simple worker In a printing
house in the past, Dimitrov began
to consider himself the Stain"
of Bulgaria and soon was giving
authoritative advice to every one
on everything. He was even tell
ing painters how to paint.
This extreme self-assurance
caused Dimitrov to commit many
an error in domestic affairs as
we'll as in Bulgaria's international
moves-for which Moscow has
often scolded him.
In order to insure his personal
rule In the beginning. Dimftrov
encouraged all the underworld
elements in Bulgaria. But soon
he became their prisoner. And
so he came into open conflict
with powerful Minister Of the
Interior Anton Yongov. What's
more. Dimitrov. who took no
notice of the outside world, made
very hard work of Minister for
Foreign Affairs Vasil Kolarov.
That brought another nucleus
of opposition.
Dimitrov soon lost so much Of
his influence in Sofia that he was
also losing Moscow influence.
Thus his replacement-which, in
the beginning, seemed inconceiv-
able-became a possibility.
The switch will not be done in
one step. For the time being, the
Council of Ministers will be pre-
sided over by Kolarov. who is
probably the premier of tomorrow.
But the main struggle will have
to be fought around the election
of the new secretary general of
the Bulgarian Communist Party.
The party is one of the best
organized and progressive not
only In the Balkans but in all
Europe-and 1t has a large num-
ber OF very able leaders. Among
them there are even some with
qualities that 60 to make good
statesman.
It is sure that the well-disci-
plined party will avoid extremes
in this internal fight. Obviously,
though. the head of the govern
ment and the secretary general
of the party will be two different
individuals, as was the case in
Soviet Russia till May of 194l.
Such a duality. so far as the
exercise Of power Is concerned,
cannot but lead to q certain
softening of the regime, especially
in view of the dangers inherent
in the present development of
the international situation.