Evening star., 1949-12-08
Kostov's Reputation
OF Confession Is First
In Red Trial History

In Red Trial History
BY the A.seeiatsd Press
LONDON. Dec. 8-The Soviet
tradition Of sabject treason trial
confessions has suffered a major
upset with the reputation by a
former top Bulgarian Communist
OF earlier admissions that he in
trigued with Yugoslavia's Premier
Marshal Tito,
In Sonia, Bulgaria S former Com
munist Deputy Premier Traichc
Kostov told a special seven-man
court yesterday that he rejected
his earlier confession that he spied
for British intelligence, worked
for Tito and betrayed the Bull
garian Communist Party to his
country's pro-Fascist government
In 1912.
His denial as he and 10 others
went on trial on charges OF trea-
son, spying and economic sabotage
was reported by Peter Burchett,
correspondent Of the London Daily
Express, and Tass. the oft1cial
Russian news agency. Mr.. Bur-
chett said it was the first re-
pudiation in the history OF spy
trials in the Soviet satellites. He
reported Kostov's surprise denials
caught judges and prosecutors OH
guard"
In practically all previous trea-
son trials in Russia and the satel-
lite states, the accused have con-
fessed fluently and expressed
repentance.
The Russians, leading the Com
inform campaign to drive Tito
from power because his Commu-
mist government baked at Moscow
dictation, were quick to react.
Tass, in Sofia dispatch broad
cast by Moscow radio, said KostoV
had ''insolently denied the evi-
dence written in his own hand"
about dealing with Tito.
The broadcast heard here by
the Soviet monitor, continued:
''Kostov, however. did not and
could not cite any facts with
which to vindicate himself and
In essence only confirmed the
charges laid against him in this
section Of the indictment.
The Daily Express report said
Kostov admitted he had made
serious political errors by in-
triguing against the late Bulgarian
Premier Georgi Dimitrov, by TAX
ing an anti-Soviet line and by
allowing enemy agents to filter
into Bulgaria's Communist Party
and government.
Court Reads Text.
When Kostov began denying
some of the major parts OF his
confession" the Daily Express
reported. the court read in full
the text Of his long statement,
made during preliminary inves-
LEGATIONS and written in Kostov's
own hand.
After the reading Of the Kostov
confession, the court received the
first guilty plea from a defendant.
former Finance Minister Ivan
Stefanov. who admitted all the,
charges against him. The other
defendants include former govern
ment ministers and former key
economic officials.
The Daily Express said Kostov
these sections Of his
previous confession:
/. That in 1885 he appointed
Tito to work in Yugoslavia while
Kastov was in the Balkan Com
munist secretariat in Moscow.
Kostov told the court that Dimi-
trov, then secretary Of the Com
munist international, appointed
Tito.
2. That he plotted with the
Yugoslavs to annex Bulgaria to
Yugoslavia. Kostov said he mere
" put the proposal before the
central committee Of the Com
munist Party of which he was a
member.
3. That after torture by pro-
Fascist police of King Boris in
1912 he betrayed six other leading
Bulgarian Communists who were
put to death while he escaped
with life imprisonment. Kostov
testified the police never got
thing out Of me-"
4. That he agreed in 1912 to
work with Col. William Bailey Of
the British intelligence service.