REPORT RAPID BULGARIAN REARMEMENT; CELEBRATE ARMY SPORTS MATCHES

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP80-00809A000600360153-2
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: C
• Document Page Count: 2
• Document Creation Date: December 22, 2016
• Document Release Date: July 21, 2011
• Sequence Number: 153
• Publication Date: November 9, 1950
• Content Type: REPORT

Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2011/07/22 :CIA-RDP80-00809A000600360153-2
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INFORMATION FROM
FOREIGN DOCUMENTS OR RADIO BROADCASTS CD NO.
DOPJFIDENTIAL
CLASSIFICATION CONFIDENTIAL
SUBJECT
HOW
PUBLISHED
VIHERE
PUBLISHED'
DATE
PUBLISHED
LANGUAGE
Military
Daily newspapers
Swit2erland; Bulgaria
17 Aug ~ 29 Sep 1950
111T8YlEUY[NT CONTAINS IN FORY ATION A!i[CTINI TN[ NATIONAL L[FtX 7t
OF TNl UNI1t0 STAT[1 MITNIN TN[ YLANINO OF [SFIO MAGI ACT l0
U. 3. 0.. 31 ANO IT, AS AY[NO[D. 173 TRANS YIS LION OR TNt R[Y [CATION
0! ITS CON T[NTS IN ANT MANN IR TO AN UNAUTNO RI[[0 FI RSON IS !RO?
NIIIT[D !T LAM. RlFR000 CTION 01 TNI! FORM IS IRO NI3IT[D.
DATE OF
INFORMATION 1950
DATE DIST. ~ Nov 1950
NO. OF PAGES ?
SUPPLEMENT TO
REPORT N0.
THIS IS UNEVALUATED INFORMATION
REPOR'P RAPID BULGARIAN REARMAMENT;
CELEBRATE ARMY SPORTS MATCRES
NEW MILITARY MEASURES TAKEN W,. Neue Zuercher Zeitung, 29 Sep 50
The rearmament of Bulgaria is proceeding at a rapid tempo, especially
now that the Soviet General Petur Pancheveki, who is of Bulgarian descent,
has become Defense Ministers Soviet specialists are active in the Bulgar-
ian Arroyo
Frincipal attention is being given to building up the transportation
and communications systems Soviet "technicians" are spurring the Rulgar-
isns to the greatest efforts in railroad transportation through "advice and
assistanceo" These "specialists" remind one of those German forerunners
who appeared in the country before Bulgaria Joined the Axis,
Special importance is being placed on the improvement oY connections
across the Danube to Rumania and the Soviet Union Recently, a new ferry
across the Danube be+,wePn Calafat Tend Vidin was inaugurated in the presence
of a large number of official personages, It cannot be ascertained from
the meager official data xhether this is a railroad ferryo At any rate,
two permanent bridgeLeads seem to have been built on the banks, indicating
that the ferry is to handle a considerable volume of traffic Moreover,
from the military viewpoint the ferry has several advantages over abridge.
Above all, it offers a poorer target for aircraft; a ship can be easily con-
cealed in the vicinity, while abridge presents a fixed tsrEeto According
to other reports, abridge is to be built across the Danube at Nikopola
Bulgaria apparently has recently received new war material from the
Soviet Union, On the occasion of a parade in'Sofie on 9 September, large
Soviet tanks attracted the attention of the spectators Intensive air de-
fense preparations are observed in the capital, A ring of antiaircraft bat-
teries is said to be concentrated around Sofia, Air-raid shelters have had
to be put back?into a condition of readiness, and sane is said to have been
placed in the ?cop floors ready for uses The?moet important art treasures
~he.ve been placed for safekeeping in "bombproof" cellarso
_ l CONFIDENTIAL
CONFII~EN`rTnr? ?
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 Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2011/07/22 :CIA-RDP80-00809A000600360153-2
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CONFTDENTi~~'"~~~~~~ ?'~~~
it is also heard that parts of certain ministries have been trans-
ferred from the capital A section of the Defense Ministry is said to
be slready in Gabrovo; another, which handles liaison with the Soviet
Union, is said to be in Kolarovgrada The Kolarovgrad region is one ofl
those from which the Turks are said to have been expelled. Apart of
the Ministry of the Interior is said to have been transferred to the
outskirts of Sofiso All these measures could be interpreted as prepa-
ration for wars
The traditional Army Matches in light athletics were solemnly inaug-
iuated on 16 Augast 1950 at the Narodni Voyaka lNstional Army) Stadium in
Sofia by the chief of the political command of the army, Mayor General M.
Khristova The contestants marched in front of the Ara~v High Command and
a larEe audiences
Gymnastic competitions are being held simultanec,nsly with the light
athletics matches, and will continue for the next few days< Admission
is frees
AWARD NEW BANNER TO INFANTRY DIVISION -- Sofis, Rabotnichesko Delo,
8 Sep 50
At s celebration held on 7 September 1950 on the grounds of the First
Infantry Division named after Stalin, Prime Minister Vulko Chervenkov pre-
sented the unit with a new combat banners The Prime Minister read the
relevant decree of the Idationsl Assembly, after which the men and officers
knelt to pronounce the solemn oath end then paraded i_. front of the Prime
Minister, Lt Gen Po Panchevski, I+Is,j Gen Mo Khristov, and others present at
the ceremony,
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CONFIDENTIAL ~o~i 1~~~ l'~^~
Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2011/07/22 :CIA-RDP80-00809A000600360153-2