SOCIALIST STATE IN BULGARIA: MICROECONOMIC SURVEY
Editor's note: The data in this survey have as a reference data from mid-point year 1975.
Judicial System
Justice in the People's Republic of Bulgaria is administrated by the district, regional and military courts and by the Supreme Court. All labour disputes are considered by the conciliation committees of the enterprises and by the regional courts. Civil law disputes among state enterprises, offices and co-operative and public organizations are heard by the "State Court of Arbitration", and disputes connected with international trade by the "Foreign Trade Court of Arbitration at the Bulgarian Chamber of Commerce and Industry".
The district court judges and assessors are elected by the district people's councils for a term of five years. Judges and assessors of the Supreme Court are elected for a term of five years by the National Assembly. Judicial control over the activities of all courts is exercised by the Supreme Court. Control for the correct observance of the law by local government authorities and officials, and by the citizens, is exercised by the Attorney-General of the Republic - who, is elected by the National Assembly for a term of five years. All other prosecutors of courts are appointed and discharged by the Attorney-General. All courts and prisons are under the Ministry of Justice. All lawyers are organized in consultation offices and citizens have the right to choose their own legal representatives from among the members of any such group. State enterprises may employ their own legal adviser.
Political Parties and Organizations
Communist Party: This is the dominant party in the Fatherland Front Government. First secretary of Central Committee is Todor Zhivkov. The party has 3 761 527 members. Publishing organs are "Rabotnichesko Delo" /daily/, "Novo Vreme", "Zhivot", etc.
Bulgarian Agrarian People's Union: A peasant political organization participating in the Fatherland Front Government with about 120 000 members. Secretary is Georgi Traikov. Publishing organ is "Zemedelsko Zname" /daily/.
The Fatherland Front: A mass organization unifying both political parties and social organizations. It has elected local and central committees throughout the country controlled by the National Council in Sofia. The supreme body is the Congress, which, is elected every five years. First chair is Lubomir Levchev. Publishing: "Otechestven Front".
Dimitrov Young Communist League: A mass social and political organization of youth, controlled by a Central Committee. First secretary is Eng. Encho Moskov. Publishing: "Narodna Mladezh" /daily/, "Mladezh" /periodical/, etc.
Committee of Bulgarian Woman: President is Mrs. Elena Lagadinova. Publishing: "The Woman Today" /monthly/.
Religion
In Bulgaria, religion is administrated by the "Committee for Affairs of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church and the Religious Denominations", at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs which deals with relations between religious organizations and the government.
Armenian-Apostolic-Orthodox Church: The diocese is administered by Bishop Derair Mardikyan /resident of Bucharest/. About 13 000 adherents. Chair of the diocesan council in Bulgaria is Onnik Aslanian.
Bulgarian Orthodox Church: It is administered by the Bulgarian Patriarchy. There are 11 dioceses and one foreign diocese, each under a metropolitan. Adherents are 80 per cent of the church going population. Patriarch is Maxim.
Central Jewish Theological Council: About 6000 adherents. Head is Isaac Moscona.
Muslim Community: Adherents are about 14 per cent of the church going population. Chief Mufti of the Turkish Muslims in Bulgaria: Hassan Ademov. Chief Mufti of the Bulgarian Muslims in Bulgaria: Issein Seferkov.
Roman Catholic Church: They are under the patronage of the apostolic exarch for Byzantine Catholics /residing in Tzarigrad/. Administrator for the Sofia-Plovdiv diocese is Reverend Metodi Stratiev. Administrator for the Nikopol diocese is Reverend Damyan Talev.
Supreme Episcopal Council of the Bulgarian Evangelical Methodist Church: Head is Pastor Ivan Nozharov.
Union of the Churches of the Seventh Day Adventists: Head is Pastor Pavel Kostov.
Union of the Evangelical Baptist Churches: Head is Pastor Georgi Todorov.
Union of the Evangelical Cathedral Churches: Head is Pastor Asen Simeonov.
Union of the Evangelical Pentecostal Churches: Head is Pastor Angel Dinov.
"White Brotherhood" Religious Community: Head is Pastor Nikola Vulchev.
Theosophical Society: Head is Pastor Konstantin Karidov.
Press
As in most Communist countries, the press in Bulgaria is considered a powerful instrument of the Party and part of the educational system, and for that reason it is subject to strict control by the government. Its structure closely resembles that of the Soviet press, being dominated by the Communist Party and by organizations attached to the Fatherland Front, and much of its news originates from TASS, the Soviet news agency. Censorship is not usually necessary, since editors are Party members and aware of their responsibility to the government.
The style of the Bulgarian press is serious and articles continually defend the Communist system. However, advertising is on the increase with the realization of its usefulness in the economy, and newspapers are beginning to take on a western appearance. Most publications enjoy a steady increase in circulation.
A total of 710 newspapers of varying frequency is published in Bulgaria. There are 13 daily papers in Bulgaria, eight of which are published in Sofia, and their total circulation is 6 448 000 copies. Most of them are usually made up of four pages. The most important is "Rabotnichesko Delo" /circulation 666 000/, - the organ of the Communist Party. Other important newspapers are "Otechestven Front" /circulation 225 000/, - the Fatherland Front daily, and "Narodna Mladezh" /circulation 222 000/, - the youth newspaper. These dailies set the tone of the rest of the press.
There are 1060 magazines and periodicals published in Bulgaria with a total circulation of 51 600 000 copies; they cater for almost every possible interest and are extremely popular. Several magazines are also published in foreign languages.
Bulgarian Telegraph Agency: This is the official news agency, having agreements with the leading foreign agencies and correspondents in all major capitals. Publishes weekly surveys of science and technology, international affairs, literature and arts, etc. General director is Lozan Strelkov.
Sofia Press Agency: Publishes socio-political and scientific literature, tourist literature, publications on the arts, fiction, newspapers, magazines and bulletins - all in foreign languages. Chair is Georgi Djagarov.
Union of Bulgarian Journalists: President is Georgi Bokov.
Publishers
Major publishing houses include the following:
Darzhavno Izdatelstvo "Khristo G. Danov": Main office in Plovdiv. Publishes books in science, medicine, agriculture, fiction, university textbooks, etc.
Darzhavno Izdatelstvo Meditsina i Fizkultura: Main office in Sofia. Publishes books in medicine, physical culture and tourism, etc.
Darzhavno Izdatelstvo "Narodna Kultura": Main office in Sofia. Publishes foreign fiction and poetry in translation.
Darzhavno Izdatelstvo "Narodna Mladezh": Main office in Sofia. Publishes books in politics, history, original and translated fiction.
Darzhavno Izdatelstvo "Narodna Prosveta": Main office in Sofia. Educational publishing house.
Darzhavno Izdatelstvo "Nauka i Izkustvo": Main office in Sofia. Publishes all kind of general literature.
Darzhavno Izdatelstvo "Technika": Main office in Sofia. Publishes books for technical and higher education.
Darzhavno Izdatelstvo "Georgi Bakalov": Main office in Varna. Publishes books in popular science, fiction, economics, etc.
Darzhavno Izdatelstvo "Zemizdat": Main office in Sofia. Specializes in works on agriculture, shooting, fishing, scientific and popular literature, etc.
Darzhavno Izdatelstvo "Bulgarski Hudozhnik": Main office in Sofia. Publishes art books.
Darzhavno Izdatelstvo "Bulgarski Pisatel": Main office in Sofia. Publishes bulgarian fiction and poetry, criticism, etc.
Darzhavno Voenno Izdatelstvo: Main office in Sofia. Military publishing house.
Izdatelstvo na Bulgarskata Akademia na Naukite: Main office in Sofia. Publishes scientific works and periodicals of the Academy of Science.
Izdatelstvo na Otechestveniya Front: Main office in Sofia. Publishes all kind of general literature.
Izdatelstvo na Bulgarskata Komunisticheska Partiya - Partizdat: Main office in Sofia. Publishes books in politics, science, etc.
Izdatelstvo "Profizdat": Main office in Sofia. Syndicalism publishing house.
Sinodalno Izdatelstvo: Main office in Sofia. Religious publishing house.
Jusautor: Bulgarian literary and copyright agency. Represents bulgarian authors and deals with all formalities connected with the grant of options, authorization for translations, drawing up of contracts for the use of their works by foreign publishers, etc. Acts as an intermediary between foreign authors and publishers and bulgarian publishing houses. Director is Trayan Ivanov.
Union of Bulgarian Writers: President is Acad. Panteley Zarev.
Radio and Television
Bulgarian Radio: Twelve medium-wave transmitters at Sofia /three/, Plovdiv, Blagoevgrad, Kurdjali, Shoumen, Stara Zagora /two/, Pleven /two/ and Varna - at 150, 100, 30 and 10 kW separately. There are sixteen ultra-short-wave transmitters at Sofia /three/, peak "Botev" /two/, Sunny Beach /three/, Kyustendil /three/, Kurdjali /three/, peak "Snezhanka" and Plovdiv. There are three relay stations at Varna, Petrich and Sliven.
There are three Home Service programmes broadcasting 44 hours /the national programmes/ and 11.5 hours /the regional programmes/. The Foreign Service broadcasts for 24.5 hours on weekdays and nearly 28 hours on Sunday in Bulgarian, Turkish, Greek, Serbo-Croat, French, Italian, German, English, Spanish, Arabic and Esperanto.
There were 1 464 668 radio receivers and 702 023 wired receivers registered in October 1973.
Bulgarian Television: Channel VII with 0.5-0.25 kW at Sofia started operating in November 1959 with two programmes a week. These were increased to four in 1963. Programmes are now transmitted daily, with 68 viewing hours weekly. There are TV transmitters at peak "Botev", Slanchev Briag, Sofia, Kurdjali, Petrohan, Varna and Kyustendil. There are above 100 minor relay transmitters.
There were 1 367 000 television receivers registered in October 1973.
Banking and Insurance
Bulgarian National Bank: Founded in 1879. In 1947 took over all the commercial banks of the country.
Bulgarian Foreign Trade Bank: Holds shares from the Bulgarian National Bank and from other state institutions. Capital about 40 m. leva.
State Savings Bank: Provides general individual banking services.
State Insurance Institute: All insurance firms were nationalized during 1947, and were reorganized into one single state insurance company.
Bulstrad: Deals with all foreign insurances and reinsurances.
Trade and Industry
Bulgarian Chamber of Commerce: Maintains and promotes trade relations between Bulgaria and foreign firms and trade organizations. Organizes participation in international fairs and exhibitions. Registers patent and trade marks. Publishes economic publications in foreign languages.
Ministry of Foreign Trade: Contacts for all foreign trade in Bulgaria through the commercial state enterprises on a common list.
Central Council of Bulgarian Trade Unions: Central trade union organization, to which are affiliated 18 individual trade unions.
Central Co-operative Union: Central body of all the co-operative organizations in the country. There are 669 consumers co-operatives, 743 co-operative farms and 381 producers co-operatives. More than 3 000 000 members are affiliated to the central union.
International Fair in Plovdiv: Founded in 1933. Held yearly in September. Trades are mainly products of the mechanical, electrical and engineering industries.
Transport
Ministry of Transport: Directs the state rail, road, water and air transport organizations.
Bulgarian State Railways: Owns and controls all railway transport. There are 6127 km of track in Bulgaria, of which about 1016 km are electrified.
Bulgarian Auto Transport: There are 37 740 km of roads in Bulgaria, of which 1046 are paved, 16 894 are macadamized and 17 868 are asphalted.
Bulgarian Water Transport: Organization of sea and river transport. Carriage of goods and passengers on waterways. Controls all aspects of shipping and shipbuilding, also engages in research, design and personnel training. Bulgaria has a sea-going fleet of more than 1 000 000 d.w.t. and vessels on the Danube with a total capacity of more than 227 000 tons.
Bulgarian Civil Aviation - Balkan: Bulgaria has an air-fleet of seven TU-134, five AN-24, nine IL-18 and six IL-14.
Balkantourist: State tourist enterprise.
Universities
Sofia University "Kliment Ohridski": With 811 teachers and 16 400 students.
Plovdiv University "Paissi Hilendarski": With 267 teachers and 5380 students.
Veliko Turnovo University "Kiril i Metodi": With 163 teachers and 3700 students.