24th May, 1941.

Amnesty for Macedonian Revolutionary leader Ivan Mihailoff.

Transmits report from an official German news agency despatch from Sofia that Ivan Mihailoff is among some thousands of political prisoners to benefit from an amnesty granted by the Bulgarian Government.

This is an interesting development, and Ivan Mihailoff's return to Bulgaria cannot, I imagine, be welcome by the Bulgarian authorities. Although to some extent the Macedonian problem as an international question will be solved by the inclusion of the whole of Macedonia within the boundaries of one national state, it will not solve the internal Macedonian question, i.e. Macedonian relations with the central government. I am quite certain that if Mihailoff actually returns to Bulgaria we shall soon have a series of plots and assassinations such as disgraced Bulgarian politics at the end of the 20's and beginning of the 30’s.

A copy of this monitor should go to Mr. Broad under cover of the attached draft. 27th May, 1941.

AMNESTY FOR MACEDONIAN REVOLUTIONARY LEADER

BERLIN, THURSDAY

IVAN MIHAILOFF, LEADER OF THE MACEDONIAN REVOLUTIONARY IS ONE OF SOME THOUSANDS OF POLITICAL PRISONERS TO BENEFIT FROM AN AMNESTY GRANTED BY THE BULGARIAN GOVERNMENT SAYS AN OFFICIAL GERMAN NEWS AGENCY DESPACH FROM SOFIA.

MIHAILOFF HAS BEEN IN EXILE FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS. REUTER

(R 5554/51/7).

30th May, 1941.

My dear Phillip,

I am sending you herewith a copy of a wireless monitor giving a report from the official German news agency that Ivan Mihailoff if among some thousands of political prisoners to benefit under a recent Bulgarian amnesty.

This may be of some interest to you. Our own view is that the Bulgarian Government cannot be too pleased at the thought of Mihailoff's return, which has doubtless been forced on them by their German and Italian masters. Though the Macedonian problem in its international aspects may have been solved by the inclusion of Macedonia within the boundaries of one national state, its internal aspect, i.e. Macedonian relations with the central government, WM almost certainly not and it is quite possible therefore that in the near future there will be a recrudescence of the plots and assassinations which characterised Bulgarian internal politics in the late twenties and early thirties.

Yours truly,

(Signed) James Bowker