ECONOMIC SITUATION IN THE SATELLITES; COMMUNIST EXPLOITATION, UNREST, 18 JUNE - 27 AUGUST 1953

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP80-00809A000700130564-0
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: R
• Document Page Count: 3
• Document Creation Date: December 22, 2016
• Document Release Date: September 23, 2011
• Sequence Number: 564
• Publication Date: September 29, 1953
• Content Type: REPORT

Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/02/08: CIA-RDP80-00809A000700130564-0 ~
CENTRALCINIECLI~1~~~1~ICY REPORT
COUNTRY Albania, Bulgaria, Hungary, Rumania DATE OF
SUBJECT Economic -Communist exploitation
Political - Unrest
HOW
PUBLISHED Daily, weekly newspapers
WHERE
PUBLISHED Athens, Salonica, Istanbul
DATE
PUBLISHED 18 Jun - 27 Aug 1953
IANGUAGE Greek, TurY.ish, French
.. o, ~. ~... ~ao~.... ,o,,. ~. ,...~.,?,o, ? .~.~.
hUNGkY llCCX WORI~RS STRII(1; IN :1L41NIA ??- t+thens, S t,ratiotika Neu, 5 Jui 53
Accordir~ to 4lbanian refugees, the dock wor'rers of Durres recen+.ly vent
on strike Lecaase of the famiuc situation. On the same dny, many of ehem were
arrested and sent to concentration and forced-labor camps. Two days after the
strike, new workers were brought into Durres from the Cerrik concentration camp.
A few days ago, the Tirana rndio announced that the Soviet freighter
Voreshilov was to arrive at Durres bringing wheat to the Albanian people. When
the ship arrived, however, it.r+as loaded with war materiel for the Soviet and
Albanian armies. The Albanian dock workers refused to unload it, and many of
them were executed on the spot, chile others were arrested.
The sake refugees reported that there is a great shortage of bread in the
northern Albanian provinces and that peasants go to the cities and beg for corn.
AI.BANIA'iJS FORCED TO GIVE UP CROPS -- Salonica, ldakedonia, 11 Aug 53
Vienna, 10 August (special service) -- The Tirana radio stated this evening
that "the cellectiv~zed peasants of the Albanian People's Republic have given
the government 18 percent more wheat and other grains than expected under the
plan."
..~ONO1dIC SITILITION IN THE SATELLITES;
C01~4dUI~TIST EXPLOITATION, UNREST, 1 JUNE - 27 AiJCUST 1953
DATE DIST. ~~- Sep 1953
N0. OF PAGES 3
SUPPLEMENT TO
REPORT N0.
THIS IS UNEVALUATED INFORMATION
In this connection, it has been noted that the "giving" of the grains was
done folloving the direct igterference of Hoxha's police. The police are re-
ported to hive deprived the peasants of their entire crop, leaving them nothing
for their sustenance.
CLASSIFICATION
NAVY NSRB
RESTRICTED '
OITSTRIBUTION
I
STAT
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/02/08: CIA-RDP80-00809A000700130564-0
 Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/02/08: CIA-RDP80-00809A000700130564-0 ~
BUI~ARIAfl WORKERS STRIKE FOR HREAD -_ Athena, Stratiotika flea, 12 Jul 53
According to Yugopress, the semiofficial Yugoslav Hers agency, large-scale
strikes have occurred recently in Bulgaria, especially in the regions near
Macedonia. It vas also reported that during the early part of July, 1,500 to-
bacco workers from the factory of the southern Bulgarian city of Pavlovo ~ic;
may be Plovdiv] left their work and crowded the city streets crying, "We rant
bread; xe rant work."
BULGARIAtI PRODUCTS SEIZED -- Istanbul, Yeni Istanbul, 18 Jun 53
Edirne, 17 Juae -- According to reports fro:s reliable sources, two
Bulgarians -one a civilian, the other an unarmed soldier -- have fled into
Turkey The civilian reported that 872 percent of the agricultural] produce
of the Bulgazians has been seized and that, for this reason, all Bulgarian
farmers will flee en masse to TurY.ey whenever an opportunity occurs.
'!EW ECOIIO!QIC DLEASURES III BUIGARIA -_ Athens, Stratiotika Nea, 19 Jul 53
According to re},orts frem Sofis, the Bulgarian government has increased
working hours and passed new measures a~airst those rho do not report for
work. A tax of 20~ leva has also been place3 on all rages and sa'arie~, and
all childless women are to be taxed. Fux?thermore, all pensions were reduced
~~-30 percent.
COh4dUNLST t~ASUREv SLOW AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTION lIl BULO.~IRIA -- Athens, I
Katiumerini, 27 Aug 53
London (special service) -- According to telegrams from T_enna, infor-
mation has beer. received in that city tua* the?e is Ip'eat dissntisfaction and
unrest among the Dul,;ari?rr. agricult~u?al populr.tion as a result of the Bulgarinn
gover:rnert's oppressive measures. Many pensarte, members of the cooperative
labor farms, are refusing to vor'~, and, us a result, there has been n con-
siderable decrease in the production cf sugar, cotton, beets, end piatnchio
nuts.
S}IORTAGE OF ELECTRICITY IN BULGARZAIJ CITIES -- Istanbul, Cumhuriyet, 13 Aug 53
Vienna, 12 August (Nafen) -- According to reports from Buigaris, private
establishments in Sofia and its suburb: are permitted to use electricity only
15 hours a dny. a shortage of electricity is alse reported to exist in many
other Bulgarian cities. Reme reports state that during July, certain Bulgarian
cities had no electricity at all.
STORE IN HUNGARY SET UP FOR SOVIET CITILEPIS -- Athens, Le Messager d'Athenes,
26 Jun 53
A special store has been set up exclusively for Soviet citizens on Benezur
street Sn Budapest. The prices there are much tower than at other stores. For
example, a pair of ;hoes, which normally cost 600 forints in state central
stores, is sold to the Soviets for 90 forints. Textile goods are sold at about
one third the cost.
RES"_RICTED
STAT
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/02/08: CIA-RDP80-00809A000700130564-0
 Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/02/08: CIA-RDP80-00809A000700130564-0 ~
^
FAMINE TRRF.ATENS RUMANLIN PEOPLE -- Istanbul, Yeni Sabah, 11 Aug 53
Vienna, 10 August (Turkish News Agency) -- Travelers arriving from
Bucharest report that Rumania is on the verge of a great famine, resulting
not only from poor crops but also from an increase in the amount of food
shipments being made to the USSR.
On the other hand, prices of wheat, corn, and other foodstuffs are rising
rapidly, and the peasants are finding it hard to obtain their own food needs.
last veek, thousands of people gathered on the Constants wharfs and shouted
insults at tvo Soviet ships, loaded with wheat, which sailed for Odessa.
EXTRA 670RK FOR RUMAt17AN EMPIAYEES -- Athens, Stratiotika Ilea, 19 Jul 53
According to reports from reliable sources, even the clerks and accountants
cP Sovrompetrol in Vatum transliteration from Creek vere obliged to work after
their regular working hours as posters, loaders, and unloaders. Those vhu re-
fused to follov these ux~ders were sent to forced labor camps.
RUMANIAIQ STATE 31117K ADOPPS P1EW h1EASURES -- Athens, Stratiotika Nea, 19 Jul 53
Reliable information reports that d+.u?ing the monetary reforms, the State
Ban'r, of Rumania ordered all those vho own im?.no?,~ble property abroad to sell it
and deposit the correspond?.ng Yoreign exchange value at the Rumanian State
Pank. Those with movable property were also ordered tc transfer ;.o the
Rumanian State ?ank all their foreign bank degosits.
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/02/08: CIA-RDP80-00809A000700130564-0