power," the
constitution places the judiciary below the executive and legislative
branches of state power. It also lumps together the judicial bodies and
prosecutors in overlapping and parallel functions. The fact that judges
and lay assessors are elected indicates that the party echelons can
control the workings of the judicial machinery.

THE ELECTORAL PROCEDURE

The basic election law of Bulgaria is embodied in a document adopted on
February 17, 1953, and published as the Law of Election for the National
Assembly of the People's Republic of Bulgaria. It has been amended many
times since then.

Article 6 of the 1971 Constitution extends the right to vote to every
Bulgarian citizen who has reached the age of eighteen, regardless of
"sex, nationality, race, creed, education, occupation, official or
social status, and property status." The only exceptions are those
persons under "complete tutelage." An earlier law had denied the right
to vote only to those who had been sentenced by a court.

Members of both national and local representative bodies--the National
Assembly and the people's councils--are elected by direct and secret
ballot on the basis of universal, equal, and direct suffrage.
Theoretically, they are responsible to their electorate and render an
accounting of their activities. In this frame of reference they can be
subject to recall even before the expiration of their term. In practice
they are removed at the discretion of the BKP.

The State Council schedules dates for elections to the National Assembly
and people's councils. In no case is the date fixed later than two
months after the expiration of the current mandate. The council is also
empowered to schedule dates for holding referenda on decisions of the
National Assembly. All election dates are set on weekends or nonworking
days to ensure continuous work production.

Under the election law and in accordance with the constitution,
elections are called by the State Council and conducted by the Central
Election Commission, a body created by the National Assembly and
directed by the State Council. The Central Election Commission comprises
representatives of various organizations, such as trade unions,
cooperatives, youth organizations, special professional and interest
groups, and other public organizations and societies, which must be duly
registered according to acceptable procedures established by the
National Assembly. The election commission