SLOVENE OPINION ON CURRENT YUGOSLAV SITUATION

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP82-00457R002600270008-0
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 2
• Document Creation Date: December 14, 2016
• Document Release Date: March 11, 1999
• Sequence Number: 8
• Publication Date: April 11, 1949
• Content Type: REPORT

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Approved For Release 2000/09/0 ? CIA-RDP82-004 26001
CENTRAU INTELLIGENCE AGENCY REPORT NO.
? INFORMATION REPORT CD NO.
COUNTRY Yugoslavia
SUBJECT Slovene opinion on Current
Situation
PLACE
ACQUIRED
DATE OF IN
2. In Slovenia the opinion is widespread that Tito Will very soon be forced
to joia the Western Bloc. Even those who formerly attacked the Western
Democracies most outspokenly now subscribe to this solution. Certain
news already indicates the path and means which the regime will use in
such a reorientation. For this reason discussions of Cominform offenses
are regularly scheduled for the Tito cells, for an eventual approach to
the Went. This reconciliation with the West is supported by the activists
as necessary to the realization of ;:their five year plan, which will be
executed - after the Cominform announced the severest economic sanctions
against Yugoslavia - only with the aid of Western Powers.
3. The directives to the activists stress that trade agreements with the
West will not change the anti-imperialist fight in the least, nor hold
back the socialization of the country. In foreign. affairs instructions
are to conduct an anti--imperialistic fight, but less blatantly than
heretofore, for current tactics dictate restraint. Hence, with the help
of the West, the road to the socialization of the country will be shortened
appreciably and will serve as an example to all the rest of the Peoples
Democracies.
4. The sympathy and goodwill towards the Allies have never been greater than
now - not even during the era of UNRRA. Above all, this feeling of good-
will in clearly manifest in the coal regions and in Jesenice. Tito a a
seeuri~.y police have their hands full in these areas. In general, also
these new events are attributed to Cominformist propaganda, even if it
is evident that they are nothing more than the spontaneous expressions of
ana;. extremely dissatisfied working class.
CLASSIFICATION ' CONTROL - U-s_ OFT(:TAT.s MY
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The "fighting spirit" of the Yugoslavs against the Cominform has greatly
weekend, largely because the Party press is compelled to praise the
Soviets, and to present them as the strongest world power and the model
of Socialist nations. At the same time the press attempts to prove that
Titoos formula for socialization is even better and, above all, the most
correct. These inconsistencies, with which the press and speakers
attempt to cloud people's thoughts,~are driving even Tito's most zealous
believers into apathy. The publicized espionage and sabotage trials,
which at least for some time struck fear and artificially whipped up the
activists to fight, and, on the other hand, killed off opposition move-
ments, are now for one and all meaningless episodes.
CONFIDE ?CreQY regraded tc
CONFIDENTIAL in
accordance with the
letter of 16 October 1978 from the
Director of Central Intelligence to the
Archivist of the United Stat
q. A
Next Review D ta
e?
ie at d9Por Release 2000/09/01 : CIA-RDP82g
M
Date 1978 By; Qe3
 Approved For Release 2000/09/01 : CIA-RDP82-00457R002600270008-0
i1 CONTROL ? U.S. OFFICIALS ONLY
CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
o2- CONFIDENTIAL
25X1A
Until now workers were favored in food rations and in the purchase of
everyday necessities. On paper this preferential treatment is still in
effect. In the last few weeks, however, distribution has been very
irregular, and there have been shortages. In Trbovlje, about two weeks
ago, there occurred real rifts between the workers at a Syndicate meeting,
becaust the miners demanded an improvement in distribution of rations,
with increases particularly of fate and soap. Severe criticism was made
also of the poor quality of potatoes, which are rotten and inedible, and
wormy beans. The workers of the Hraatnik glass factories joined the
miners in these comp71 inte.
6. According to some reports, the arguments led to actual fighting between
workerE- and representatives of the Syndicatet The workers called attention
to living conditions in Yugoslavia as compared with, those in Western
countries. One miner called out: "The capitalists look after their
worker, much better than socialistic countries, so why do we continue to
fight?" This miner, reported to have been an Istrian, was seized at once
and placed under arrest by the Secret Police, whereupon the workers fell
upon the Police and beat them up. Several days later the workers,
cooperative commenced to issue a special ration of 100 grams of lard.
This felled to pacify the workers. Enraged, they publicly declared that
only with a definite fight against the syndicates, would they be able to
achieve their rights.
CONFIDENTIAL
;ONTROL - U.S. OFFICIALS MY
Approved For Release 2000/09/01 : CIA-RDP82-00457R002600270008-0