§ 21. Mr. Blackburnasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what protest he has made, in view of the declaration by the Bulgarian Prime Minister on 2nd February for a one-party State for Bulgaria, which is a breach of the Bulgarian Peace Treaty.
§ Mr. BevinNo protest has been made about this speech because my reports show that the Bulgarian Prime Minister was careful to indicate that the formation of one party was an eventual, and not an immediate, objective; but the intentions of the Bulgarian Communist Party are clear, and I would again state, publicly and solemnly, that His Majesty's Government deplore the progressive establishment of Communist dictatorships in the countries of Eastern Europe, whose peoples are neither considered, nor consulted.
§ Mr. BlackburnIs my right hon. Friend aware that the Socialist Party in Bulgaria have been terrorised, and the whole of the executive of the Socialist Party are now under arrest?
§ Mr. BevinYes, I know what is going on, and it all goes on according to form. That is why the new institution is called the Cominform.
§ Mr. MackIs my right hon. Friend aware that the Unified Party, to which the Bulgarian Prime Minister referred, is the "Fatherland Front," which comprises several parties for the purpose of combating Fascism and reaction, just as we formed a Coalition Government during the war for waging it to a successful conclusion?
§ Mr. GallacherWill the Foreign Secretary be good enough to put a report of the speech made by Dimitrov to the Bulgarian Parliament in the Library? I asked this before, and the Minister of State said that it would be considered; will he get it put in the Library?
§ Mr. BevinI shall be perfectly willing, if I can secure an undertaking that my speeches should hang in the Library of the Bulgarian House, to hang his speech here; but I ought to have reciprocity.