Intrigue in Bucharest

Strange stories were circulating last week about mysterious events in Bucharest. One of them centered on the supposed execution of a Rumanian general named Ion Serb who reportedly was shot by a firing squad for handing over defense secrets to the Russians. There were also reports of sudden demotions. One of the country's most powerful leaders, Vasile Patilinet, lost his important post as the Central Committee Secretary in charge of defense and internal security, and was relegated to the minor job of Minister of Forestry. Two other officials, including the country's propaganda chief, have also been demoted.

What was happening? Many foreign experts believe that Rumanian President and Party Leader Nicolae Ceausescu was punishing a group of opponents who last summer had participated in an unsuccessful plot to oust him. After Ceausescu returned from an extended tour of China and the Far East last June, there were rumors about coup attempts in Bucharest. At an all-day meeting of regional party leaders, Ceausescu was criticized --and reportedly even booed--for having made passionately pro-Chinese statements during his trip that unnecessarily annoyed the Russians. For the moment, Ceausescu remains in control. But the lack of success of his Western-oriented economic experiments, combined with Moscow's enduring displeasure over his independent policies, seems certain to keep him in a relatively unsettled position.

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