h one writer claimed that in 1973
Bulgarian films were viewed in about seventy countries.

In mid-1973 the subject matter of Bulgarian films was characteristically
contemporary, and there was little focus on historical events. Although
a few historical films had been produced, they were in the minority. A
few films had dealt with the subject of Bulgarian resistance to the
Nazis, but they too were relatively scarce. More films were devoted to
the so-called people's heroic struggles. Most films in Bulgaria,
however, dealt with contemporary life in the country and current events.
The overwhelming majority of these films treated the conflicts and
issues of Bulgarian youth.

SECTION III. ECONOMIC

CHAPTER 12

CHARACTER AND STRUCTURE OF THE ECONOMY

Under comprehensive control of the Bulgarian Communist Party (BKP--see
Glossary), the economy was severely strained in mid-1973 as the result
of the dual task imposed upon it by the BKP leadership to increase
productivity rapidly and substantially and to provide a growing volume
of consumer goods and services under a newly announced program for
raising the population's low standard of living. A first step in
improving the living standard took the form of an upward adjustment in
the lowest wage brackets and a broadening of social security provisions.
Further improvements, however, were made conditional upon attainment of
the productivity and production goals.

The development of the economy and of the consumer program faced severe
limitations because of the inadequacy of domestic resources, including
basic raw materials, fuels and power, skilled workers, and trained
professional personnel. Economic development was heavily dependent on
financial and technical aid from the Soviet Union, and dependence upon
that country was to be increased in the 1971-75 period. Efforts to
overcome persistent and growth-retarding difficulties in the economy led
to frequent organizational and procedural changes in the economic
mechanism, the structure of which in mid-1973 was still in flux as a
result of decisions taken by the BKP in 1965 and in 1968.

The main trend in reshaping the organization and management of the
economy was one of concentration and centralization--a trend that led to
the creation of huge trusts in industry and distribution and of vast
agroindustrial complexes in agriculture. In the process, divisions and
lines of authority were blurred, and violations of governmen