Foreign News: Free Greek State

Bulgarians blinked. Down Sofia’s broad main street marched a military procession, preceded by a Greek flag and a color guard, six men in Evzone costume. Behind trooped 84 husky men & women singing Greek battle songs. But spectators were soon reassured that this was not an incipient Greek invasion. What they were watching was a move in the Communist play against Greece.

For the paraders also carried double-life-size portraits of Stalin, Bulgarian Communist Boss Georgi Dimitroff and General Markos, self-proclaimed head of the “Free Greek State” (TIME, Aug. 25). The marchers’ song told of the exploits of Greek guerrillas. Leaflets strewn in their wake read: “Death to Monarcho-Fascists; Out with Anglo-American invaders; Long live the Free Greek State.” A poster showed a Greek guerrilla standing atop the Acropolis; in Bulgarian, French and English were the words: “Out of the flames and ruins of Anglo-American occupation and Monarcho-Fascism, a free and democratic Greece is rising.”

Youth Railway. A proclamation explained that the marchers were members of the Greek labor brigade Yanis Zavgos, which “had come from Yugoslavia to help Bulgarian youth build a new Bulgaria into a bulwark against international imperialism.” Ostensibly they were going to work on the new Youth Railway now under construction in the Struma Valley, which leads down to Salonika. But the Government reception for the brigadiers, which was attended by members of the Bulgarian Cabinet, was equivalent to unofficial recognition of the Markos regime.

Said Sofia’s Government-controlled Fatherland Front: “The new democratic Greek government which will be the center of the Free Greek State . . . presents the only correct and sensible solution of the Greek question.” Said Izgrev: “Political circles comment on the meaning attached to last week’s departure [from Athens] of the Yugoslav charge and the Soviet Ambassador. It is known that both left without requesting return visas. It is believed that perhaps the Slav countries will recall their diplomatic missions from Athens and will recognize a ‘free Greece.’ “

Last Maneuver. If Bulgaria takes the lead in recognizing Markos, other Russian satellites will almost certainly follow. U.S. State and War Department observers in the Balkans were frankly worried over the prospect of the move. They believed that Markos’ offer to down arms provided EAM ministers were taken into the Greek Government was probably the last political maneuver the Communists would make before stepping up guerrilla activities in Greece. Said one high-ranking U.S. Army officer: “Markos would probably be willing to settle for the Ministries of the Interior, Justice, War and Communications. But if we fall for that dodge after watching how it’s worked here in the Balkans, we might as well pack up our aid program right now. It doesn’t take long for that Communist foot in the door to start kicking everyone else out.”