People's Republic of Bulgaria

• 1. The Coup And The Republic

  ›

  On the 9th of September, communist guerrillas launched a coup d'état which de facto ended the rule of the Bulgarian monarchy. This event occurred after the Red Army entered north-eastern Bulgaria three days earlier. A new government assumed power led by the Fatherland Front, which itself was led by the Bulgarian Communist Party. In 1946, the monarchy was abolished by plebiscite, which resulted in 95.6 percent voting in favour of a republic. Simeon was sent into exile and Vasil Kolarov became president. By October 1946, elections for a constituent assembly gave the Communists a majority. A month later, Dimitrov became prime minister. The Agrarians refused to co-operate with the authorities, and in June 1947 their leader Nikola Petkov was arrested despite strong international protests. The new Agrarian leader Georgi Traykov repudiated his party's traditional ideology and defined a new role for it as the helpmate of the Bulgarian Communist Party. This marked the formation of a Communist establishment in Bulgaria. In December 1947, the constituent assembly ratified a new constitution for the republic referred to as the "Dimitrov Constitution". The constitution was drafted with the help of Soviet jurists using the 1936 Soviet Constitution as a model. By 1948, the remaining opposition parties were either realigned or dissolved. The Social Democrats merged with the Communists while the Agrarian Union became a loyal partner of the Communists.

• 2. Stalinist Industrialization And Repression

  ›

  Vulko Chervenkov led the Communist Party and Vasil Kolarov was prime minister until Kolarov died and Chervenkov added prime minister to his titles. Chervenkov started a process of rapid industrialization modeled after the Soviet industrialisation led by Stalin in the 1930s. Agriculture was collectivised during this period. Between 1944 and 1989, between 5,000 and 10,000 people were killed in Bulgaria as part of agricultural collectivisation and political repression. Official sources state that 2,730 people have been sentenced to death, but unofficial estimates suggested that as many as 20,000 people were reported killed under the regime between 1944 and 1989. Figures for fatalities in forced labour camps also remain elusive. During 1948, 1949, Orthodox, Muslim, Protestant and Roman Catholic religious organisations were restrained or banned. Both Protestant and Catholic preachers were frequently accused by Communist prosecutors of having ties to Western intelligence agencies. The Orthodox Church of Bulgaria continued functioning but never regained the influence it held under the monarchy. Many high roles within the church were assumed by communist functionaries. Chervenkov's rule lasted from 1950 to 1955 and saw the construction of dozens of dams and hydroelectric powerplants. Chemical works and the Elatsite gold and copper mine were built during his tenure. Labor came from prisoner brigades and the Bulgarian Brigadier Movement where young people worked on construction projects.

• 3. Zhivkov Liberalization And Stability

  ›

  In 1954, Chervenkov accepted the collective leadership and remained prime minister but ceded his position as party leader to Todor Zhivkov. The government released a large number of political prisoners and focused on improving living standards rather than accelerating industrialization. By the mid-1950s, living standards rose significantly. In 1957, collective farm workers benefited from the first agricultural pension and welfare system in Eastern Europe. Domestic policy results showed that the country underwent rapid industrial development from the 1950s onwards. Starting with the 1960s, the country's economy appeared profoundly transformed. Despite achievements of this modernisation, many difficulties remained such as poor housing and inadequate urban infrastructure. In the 1960s, Zhivkov introduced reforms that had a positive effect on the country's economy. He put emphasis on light industry, agriculture, tourism, as well as on Information Technology in the 1970s and the 1980s. Surplus agricultural production could be sold freely and prices were lowered even more. New equipment for light industrial production was imported. Bulgaria became the first Communist country to purchase a license from Coca-Cola in 1965. Real wages from 1949 to 1989 increased by 195% while real average monthly amount of a pension rose by 868%. Real monthly pension for old age and length of service rose by 342% in the same period.

• 4. Forced Assimilation Of Turks

  ›

  A campaign of forced assimilation was waged against the ethnic Turkish minority who were forbidden to speak the Turkish language. This took place in the winter of 1984 when they were forced to adopt Bulgarian names. The issue strained Bulgaria's economic relations with the West. The 1989 expulsion of Turks from Bulgaria caused a significant drop in agricultural production in the southern regions due to the loss of around 300,000 workers. In 1975, Bulgaria signed the Helsinki Accords which guaranteed human rights and fundamental freedoms including freedom of movement and contacts. However, subsequent events regarding Bulgarian Turks in the 1980s were a direct violation of these commitments. The government used force, threats and intimidation branding opponents of policy as fascists and chauvinists. Some were resettled as far as Vojvodina after they had been resettled from Pirin to SR Macedonia for unsuccessful Macedonization. State authorities instructed local population in the Pirin region to mark administrative records such as "Macedonian" including Pomaks with exception of those originating within the country. At its meeting on the 21st of December, the Regional Committee of the Workers' Party in Upper Cuma decided to accept a formula indicating 70% of residents were "Macedonians".

• 5. Silicon Valley Of The Eastern Bloc

  ›

  Bulgaria was involved in computer construction which earned it the nickname "Silicon Valley of the Eastern Bloc". Bulgarian engineers developed the first Bulgarian computer, the Vitosha, as well as the Pravetz computers. Bulgaria is currently the only Balkan Country to operate a supercomputer, an IBM Blue Gene/P. In the 1960s, Zhivkov introduced reforms that had a positive effect on the country's economy. He put emphasis on light industry, agriculture, tourism, as well as on Information Technology in the 1970s and the 1980s. Surplus agricultural production could be sold freely and prices were lowered even more. New equipment for light industrial production was imported. Bulgaria became the first Communist country to purchase a license from Coca-Cola in 1965. According to official figures, in 1988 100 out of 100 households had a television set while 95 out of 100 had a radio. Ninety-six out of 100 had a refrigerator and 40 out of 100 had an automobile. Along with improvements in agriculture and growth of productivity, GDP per capita grew from $1.864 to $10.800 in 1989 peaking in 1984 when GDP per capita was about $11.100.

• 6. Secret Operations And International Relations

  ›

  According to declassified documents, Bulgaria planned on fomenting a crisis between Turkey and Greece in 1971. The operation was codenamed "Cross" and plan was that Bulgarian secret agents would set fire in the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople and make it look like work of Turks. The declassified documents state that intervention in religious entity would have significantly damage Turkish-Greek relations and force United States to choose one side in ensuing crisis. In addition, Bulgarians also planned to boost effect of its operation against Greece and Turkey by conducting active measures for putting enemy in position of delusion. Plan was developed by 7th Department of First Main Directorate of DS intelligence and secret police services of communist Bulgaria. It was affirmed by Deputy Head of Directorate on the 16th of November 1970 and approved by its Head. Operation was supposed to be prepared by middle of 1971 then executed but abandoned. In 1978, Bulgaria attracted international attention when dissident writer Georgi Markov was accosted on London street by stranger who rammed his leg with tip of umbrella. Markov died shortly afterwards of ricin poisoning. He was victim of Bulgarian secret service as confirmed by KGB documents revealing they had jointly planned operation with Bulgaria.

• 7. Peaceful Revolution And Dissolution

  ›

  In late 1980s, Communists like their leader had grown too feeble to resist demand for change. Liberal outcry at breakup of environmental demonstration in Sofia in October 1989 broadened into general campaign for political reform. More moderate elements in Communist leadership reacted by deposing Zhivkov and replacing him with foreign minister Petar Mladenov on the 10th of November 1989. This move gained short respite for Communist Party and prevented revolutionary change. Mladenov promised to open up regime stating that he supported multi-party elections. Demonstrations throughout country led Mladenov to announce that Communist Party would cede monopoly over political system. On the 15th of January 1990, National Assembly formally amended legal code to abolish Communist Party's leading role. In June 1990, first multi-party elections since 1939 were held. Finally on the 15th of November 1990, seventh Grand National Assembly voted to change country name to Republic of Bulgaria and removed Communist state emblem from national flag. First elected president Zhelyu Zhelev was inaugurated on the 1st of August 1990 and became first oppositional president of Bulgaria in People's Republic. On the 12th of July 1991 with new Constitution of Bulgaria all symbols of People's Republic of Bulgaria were officially dissolved.