be grouped together as
executive, legislative, economic (budget preparation), police, and
military.

The Council of Ministers also has jurisdiction to form--for the purpose
of administration--committees, councils, general boards, and offices.
Also within their competence, ministers and heads of departments with
ministerial rank have the right to issue orders and rescind unlawful or
irregular acts and actions of the special bodies of the people's
councils. They also have the right to suspend acts of the executive
committee of the people's councils.

[Illustration: _Figure 7. Bulgaria, Organization of the Council of
Ministers, 1973_]

The constitution empowers the Council of Ministers to draft and
implement national economic plans for submission to the National
Assembly. The council has police power in the maintenance of public
order and security and has general command of the armed forces. Along
with the State Council it implements the direction and control of the
activities of the people's councils.

The National Assembly

The National Assembly, a unicameral legislature, is the only legislative
body of the central government, but legislative initiative has been
extended to several other governmental organs. In practice the State
Council appears to be the most powerful organ of government as well as
the principal initiator of legislative matters. The assembly, which
meets only three times each year in short sessions, would appear to have
more form than substance in the actual governmental affairs of the
country. It would seem to be impossible for anyone to become a member of
the assembly or of the State Council without prior approval of the BKP
(see ch. 9).

The assembly's 400 members represent voting districts of equal numbers
of inhabitants per delegate. The term of office is five years. This was
another innovation in that the BKP hierarchy decided that party
congresses would be held every five years instead of four and,
therefore, elections to the National Assembly should be changed in the
same manner. In the exercise of its functions, the National Assembly can
dissolve itself, and in emergency situations it may extend its term.

The manner in which the National Assembly operates, that is, the
infrequency and brevity of sessions, makes it imperative for permanent
commissions, in addition to the State Council, to carry on the
multifarious functions of the assembly. In 1971 there were twelve
permanent commis