cil of Trade Unions, which accepts the leading role of the
BKP in all Bulgarian affairs. In 1973 total membership in the central
council was about 2.6 million.

Following the principle of democratic centralism, all trade union
officials are elected from bottom to top but, following the pattern set
by the BKP, all candidates for union offices are carefully screened and
selected by officials at higher levels. Each trade union local is the
basic organization unit at a factory or business enterprise, and there
is an ascending hierarchical structure based on territorial
organization. At the district level there is a district trade union that
reports to the central organization. Theoretically, the trade unions are
independent and nonparty, but they are organized hierarchically, and
their activities are closely monitored and controlled by the BKP. In
effect, the trade unions look after the interests of the state rather
than the interests of the workers. To ensure party control there is an
interlocking of positions in the highest realms of the unions, the
government, and the party. For example, the chairman of the Central
Council of Trade Unions in 1973 was also a member of the State Council
of the National Assembly as well as being a candidate member of the
Politburo. At lower levels many district and local trade union
executives are also members of the district and communal people's
councils. Under this arrangement the unions take a direct part in the
management of state affairs--such as labor and labor legislation,
recreational activities, workers' sports, and so forth.

Dimitrov Communist Youth Union

Young prospective members of the BKP come from the Dimitrov Communist
Youth Union (Dimitrovski Komunisticheski Mladezhki Suyuz), also referred
to as the Komsomol. Established as the youth's counterpart of the BKP,
it is organized much as the parent structure, having a secretariat of
nine members headed by a first secretary and a bureau of seventeen
members and five candidate members that is comparable to the party
Politburo. The Komsomol is under the leadership of party committees and
is supported by the Ministry of National Defense, the Ministry of
National Education, the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the Bulgarian Red
Cross, and the Civil Defense Staff in interlocking roles of authority
and supervision. Founded as a sociopolitical organization to train the
youth in the ideological principles and goals of the BKP, the Kom