EASTERN EUROPEAN INTELLIGENCER

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP79B00864A000800010041-8
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 4
• Document Creation Date: December 22, 2016
• Document Release Date: June 16, 2010
• Sequence Number: 41
• Publication Date: May 9, 1968
• Content Type: REPORT

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UL' V1tL' 1
OCI #071J/68
9 May 1968
Poles Push Propaganda Attack on Czechoslovakia
Polish propaganda against recent developments in Czecho-
slovakia, mounting since 4 May, apparently escalated further
with at 9 May demand in the main party daily that the "alien,
anti-Socialist trend" in Czechoslovakia be "forcibly silenced
by our Czechoslovak comrades."
This attack, the most violent so far, follows yesterday's
meeting of four Eastern European party leaders in Moscow on
the Czechoslovak question, and coincides with reported rumors
in Warsaw that Soviet troops are moving into Czechoslovakia.
On the evening of 8 May the Austrian ambassador in Warsaw
said that he had heard reports of "troop movements on the
Czechoslovak border." None of these reports and rumors have
yet been confirmed.
On 8 May the Polish leadership sent a congratulatory tele-
gram to Czech leaders on the occasion of the country's libera-
tion celebrated on 9 May. The message pointedly reminded the
Czechs of both countries' "obligation" to strengthen the
Warsaw Pact, the need for both bilateral cooperation with-
in the framework of CEMA, their debt of gratitude..to the USSR,
and stressed the import of their own bilateral alliance.
Hungary Lauds Czechoslovak Reforms
While the Polish party press mounted its fiercest attack
yet on the trends in Czechoslovakia (see preceding item), the
Hungarian "Peoples Front" paper Magyar Nemzet heaped praise
on Prague's movement toward democcra iza Ti'on.
The Hungarian daily stated flatly that "there is not a
single point in the Czechoslovak party's action program which
any other Communist country could not underwrite," and that
this means freedom of the press, judicial reform, a secret
ballot, and a chance to leave the country.y The paper added tLat
Czechoslovak communism is seeking "specific forms best suited
to its traditions," which include a "democratic public spirit
...created in the years between the wars."
GROUP I
Excluded from automatic down-
grading and declassification
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Although the Magyar Nemzet article is somewhat out of
line with previous friendly but cautious Hungarian comment
on Czechoslovakia, its timing may be significant. It follows
party boss Kadar's participation in the 8 May party leaders'
meeting in Moscow on the Czechoslovak problem, and suggests
that unanimity was not the order of the dal even among those
considered Moscow's most reliable allies.
Tito's"Unpleasant" Visit to Moscow
Tito's talks with Soviet leaders in Moscow on 28-30
pril further underlined Tito's differences with the Soviets
on key international and domestic issues.
the greatest differences
emerged over Yugoslavia's continued refusal to attend the November
world communist conference and the course of reforms in Yugo-
slavia and Czechoslovakia. Tito also reportedly refused a
Soviet request to proselytize among the non-aligned nations
for the NPT.
Ithe Soviets criticized the
Yugoslav economic reform, citing the current stagnation in
the Yugoslav economy as proof of the reform's failure.
Although the
Soviet criticism may not have actually been so blunt, even
implied criticism would have raised Tito's hackles.
The Yugoslavs have always disliked Brezhnev, whom they
The Yugoslavs
apparently prefer to deal with Kosygin, whom they believe
perhaps exaggeratedly, is more liberal.
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Austro--Hungarian Border Incident
Two Hungarian refugees smashed a truck through Hungarian
border fortifications late on 6 May. Hungarian guards fired
across the border, wounding both men, and dragging one back
into Hungary from about 150 feet within Austrian territory
where the truck was halted.
Chancellor Klaus, re
portedly is irritated that the mood of accommodation with
Hungary which resulted from his visit to Budapest a year ago
has now been "destroyed." At that time, Hungarian party boss
Kadar told Klaus that Hungary was making its border with
Austria more "civilized."
The press uproar in Austria over the incident will put
a crimp in the recently rising influx of Austrian tourists
into Hungary, at the very least, and probably cool off mutual
relations. The Austrians reportedly have decided to hold
up a formal invitation, scheduled to be delivered this week,
fr,r u?nrr yi21n Premier Fock's visit to Austria this September
Former Czechoslovak Interior Minister Released from Prison
Ex.-Minister of Interior Rudolf Barak, who was tried
in 1962 on trumped up charges of "economic crimes," has
been released from prison, according to an official announce-
ment by the Prosecutor General on 8 May.
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VL Vlt~/ 1
Barak was widely believed to have been imprisoned because
of his then premature moves toward rehabilitation of the
victims of Stalin-era purges. These moves by Barak were
probably related to the budding opposition within the party
to conservative party boss Novotny. Barak was rumored as
the moving force behind much of this opposition. His release
coincides with mounting friction between Prague and Moscow
over the latter's complicity in the Stalinist purges in Czecho-
slovakia. If Barak tells what he knows, the issue may become
even more volatile.
Czechoslovak Political Amnesty Announced
President Svoboda announced a wideranging political amnesty
on 9 May, presumably for the occasion of Czechoslovakia's
Liberation Day.
The amnesty "fully or partially remits" all penalties
for "crimes against the republic, for offenses endangering
the official secrets act, violence against individuals or
groups, and for spreading of alarming rumors." Those imprisonec
for leaving or aiding in the illegal departure from the country
are also affected by the amnesty, providing their acts were
committed after 1 January 1956.
This is the Dubcek regime's first announced amnesty,
although many political prisoners apparently have already
been released since February without fanfare. The release
of former Interior Minist -r Barak (see preceding item) presumably
stems from his amnesty.
Drought Threatens Balkan Economies
The Albanian Ministry of Agriculture has issued a list
of ten measures to combat drought effects, including the ration-
ing of water and increased irrigation. In Bulgaria, a national
conference on the problem was addressed on 7 May by Premier
Zh:ivkov who admitted that the drought has already inflicted
damage on the national economy. Yugoslav peasants reportedly
have been caught short of fodder and are selling their live-
stock herds at panic.-tipr ,ves;. -:Official estimates of the 1968
Yugoslav crop have been reducced by twenty percent according to
the US Embassy in Belgrade.
NOTE: THE VIEWS EXPRESSED ABOVE REPRESENT
ONLY THE ANALYSIS OF THE EE DIVISION
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