CHANGES IN THE ADMINISTRATIVE DIVISION OF THE BULGARIAN PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC AFTER 9 SEPTEMBER 1944

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP81-00280R001300190008-1
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: U
• Document Page Count: 11
• Document Creation Date: December 22, 2016
• Document Release Date: June 3, 2011
• Sequence Number: 8
• Publication Date: November 1, 1956
• Content Type: REPORT

 CHANGES IN THE ADMINISTRATIVE DIVISION OF THE BUTAARIAN
I3WPLE'S REPUBLIC AFTER 9 SEPTEMM 1944
3eo a (Geography], Aleksandur Kyurkchiev
vo , No 5, May 1956,
Sofia, Pages 5 - 8
The great transformation of the political, cultural, and
economic life of the country after 9 September 1944 also touched
the administrative territorial division of Bulgaria. This is
evidenced by the numerous changes in and the reshaping of adminis-
trative units.
The establishment in December 1944 of Pernik Okoliya, the
establishment in 1945 of Pavlikeni.. Topclovgrad, and Tearevo (now
Michurin) Okoliyas, the elimination in 1947 of the then oblast
divisions and their replacement with okoliya divisions, the division
of the country into okoliyas in 1949, the elimination.of Zlatograd
Okc,liya and the establishment of Madan Ukoliya in 1952, the elimina-
t.:,,n of Godech, Breanik, and Sofia rural okoliyas on 1 January 1956,
t.t establishment of Velingrad, Svoge, and Slivnitsa okoliyas, and
:.'+ transfer of the seat of Nikopol Okoliya to Gulyantai village
e ? indications that the administrative change is of a new kind,
t,,: is adapting itself increasingly to the changes in the general
life of the country.
Establishment and changes in the number of okruga
On 9 September 1944 the country was found divided into 9
oblasts. In 1947 the oblast division was changed to the okoliya
division. Subsequently, however, it was noticed that this kind of
division, with its 102 okoliyas directly subordinate to the central
 Grand People's Assembly voted for a special law whereby the terri-
tory of the country was divided into 15 okruga, e.e., 5lagoevgrad,
Burgas, Vidin, Vratsa, Gorna Oryakhovitsa, Kola'"ovgrad, rleven,
Plovdiv, Ruse, Sofia Urban, Sofia kural, Stalin, Stara Zagora,
Khaskovo, and Yambol okruga.
Thus the okrugs appear as links between the numerous okoliyas
and the central organs of the administration, and they help to solve,
without any obstacles, quickly, and effectively, all the problems
of local and national character. The Vidin and Yambol okrugs were
eliminated in 1951, and their okoliyas were added administratively
to other okrugs -- those of the first okrug to Vratsa Okrug, and
those of the second one were distributed between Burgas and Stara
Zagora oxrugs.
During the some year the center of corns Oryakhovitaa Okrug
was transferred to Turnovo city, as a result of which it was renamed
Turnovo Okrug. Thus by 1 January 1956, there were 13 okruga in the
country.
changes in the number of urban okoliyaa
On 9 September 1944 Bulgaria had the following 5 urban
okoliyas: Vurgas, Varna, Plovdiv, Ruse, and Sofia. In 1947 two
more were added -- Pleven and Stara Zagora urban okoliyaa -- thus
making a total of 7.
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 In 1952 19 urban okoliyas were established, which increased
their number to 26. Alphabetically they are as follows: Asenovgrad,
Blagoevgrad, Vidin, Vratsa, Gabrovo, Lorna Oryakhovitsa, Dimitrovgrad,
Dimitrovo, Kazanluk, Kolarovgrad, Kyuatendil, Lom, Pazardzhik, Sliven,
Stanke Dimitrov, Tolbukhin, Turnovo, Khaskovo, and Yambol Urban
okoliyas.
Lorna Oryakhovitsa and loin urban okoliyas were eliminated
in 1953. The same year, Kurdzhali Okoliya was established. Thus
the number of urban okoliyas decreased to 25.
Changes in the number of urban okoliyas were put to an and
with the law of 1955, according to which Asenovprad, Blagoevgrad,
Vidin, Kyustendil, and 6tanke Dimitrov urban okoliyas were elimi-
nated. By the same law Malko Turnovo and Michurin city people's
soviets were placed directly under the jurisdiction of Burgas Okrug
people's soviet, thus becoming urban okoliyas, reporting to an okrug.
Thus after all the changes were accomplislnd, the number of
urban okoliyas in Bulgaria on 1 January 1956 was 22.
It must be noted however, that these urban okoliyas, in
terms of area and villages they contained, are far larger than the
former ones, since in accordance with the 1955 law, villages were
added to almost all of them from the rural okoliyas to which they
formerly belonged. Thus Sofia Urban Okoliya increased by over 30
villages, Gabrovo and Tolbukhin by about 20, Dimitrovgrad, Kasanluk,
Pleven, Stara Zagora, and Yambol by 10 to 15, etc. However, there
were certain urban okoliyas such as Burgas, Pazardahik, Stalin
Khaskovo, and others, which remained unchanged, keeping theme: old
constituent parts.
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Changes in the number of rural okoliyaa
On 9 Loeptember 1944 the number of rural okoliyas was 91.
in December 1944 Pernik Okoliya was established. it was
composed of 26 settlements -- one city and 25 villages -- which
were taken as follows: from Sofia Rural Okoliya, Pernik city and
15 villages; from Radomir Okoliya, 8 villages; and from Fresnik
Okoliya, 2 villages. Thus, the number of rural okoliyas reached 92.
Three other okoliyas were established in 1945. These were
(1) Pavlikeni Okoliya with 24 settlements -- one city and 23 villages
-- taken as follows: from Turnovo Okoliya, Pavlikeni and 15
villages; from Sevlievo Okoliya, 5 villages; and from Svishtov
Okoliya, 3 villages; (ii) Topolovgrad Okoliya with 20 settlements --
one city and 19 villages -- taken as follows: from hlkhovo Okoliya,
Topolovgrad c '_ty and 12 villages; from Kharmanli Okoliya, 4 villages;
from Svilengrad Okoliya, 2 villages; and from Nova Zagora Okoliya,
one village; and (iii) Tsarevo Okoliya with 14 settlements -- 2
cities and 12 villages, taken as follows: from Malko Turnovo Okoliya,
Akhtopol and Tsarevo cities and 11 villages; and from Purgas Okoliya,
one village. Thus the number of these okoliyas increased to 95.
Zlatograd Okoliya was eliminated in 1952. Simultaneously
Madan Okoliya was established with 80 settlements -- one city, 18
villages, and 61 hamlets, taken as follows: from Smolyan Okoliya,
54 settlements; from Ardino Okoliya, 17 settlements; and from the
former Ziatograd Okol.iya, one city and 8 settlements.
 In accordance with the 1955 law, 7 okoliyas were eliminated,
namely: Bresnik (which was added to Dimitrovo Okoliya), Gabrovo
Rural Okoliya (which was added to Oabrovo Urban Okoliya), Godech,
Malko Turnovo, Michurin, Plovdiv Rural, and Sofia Rural okoliyas.
Five new okoliyas were established by the same law. Velingrad
Okoliya was established on the territory of the southern part of
Paaardahik Okoliya. It consists of one city, 6 villages, and 17
hamlets, or in all 24 settlements, grouped in one city people's
soviet and 7 village people's soviets.
First Plovdiv Okoliya was established on the area of the
western part of the former Plovdiv Rural Okoliya. it consists of
48 villages and 2 hamlets, or in all 50 settlements, grouped in 29
village soviets.
Second Plovdiv okoliya was established on the area of the
eastern part of the former Plovdiv Rural Okoliya. It consists of
54 villages, grouped into 33 village soviets.
Svoge Okoliya was established on the area of the northern
part of the former Sofia Rural Okoliya, from which have been taken
9 village soviets with 34 villages; on the territory of the northern
part of the former Godech Okoliya, from which were taken 5 village
soviets with 23 villages; and Yratsa Okoliya, from which were taken
one village soviet with 2 villages. Svoge Okoliya had, at the time
of its establishment, 15 village soviets in which were grouped 59
villages.
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Slivnitsa Okoliya :4as established on the territory of the
southern part of the former Godech Okoliya, from which were taken
6 village soviets with 44 settlements] and on the western part of
the former Sofia Rural Okoliya, from which were taken 6 village
soviets with 16 settlements. Slivnitsa Okoliya had, at the time
of its establishment, 12 village soviets which included 60 settlements.
Thus by 1 January 1956 there were 93 of these okoliyas.
Administrative division of the Bulgarian People's Republic
After the changes in the administrative division of the
Bulgarian People's Republic were accomplished during the period
1944-1955, its territory by 1 January 1956 was divided into 128
administrative units (see the administrative map of the Bulgarian
People's Republic). These consist of 13 okrugs (one urban), 22
okoliyas and O?S (Gradaki narodni suveti, City People's soviets)
under okrug jurisdiction, and 93 rural okoliyas, as described below.
Burgas Urban, Burgas hural, Grudovo, Elkhovo, Kotel, Malko Turnovo
Urban (HTONS), Michurin Urban (MONS)$ Polyanovgrad, and Pomorie.
Vratsa Okrug -- consists of 10 okoliyas (one urban):
pelogradchik, Bela Slatina, Berkovitsa, Vidin, Vratsa Urban, Vratsa
Rural, Kula, Lom, Mikhailovgrad, and Orekhovo.
Kolarovgrad Okrug -- consists of 7 okoliyas (one urban):
Kolarovgrad Urban, Kolarovgrad Rau l, Novi Pasar, Omurtag, Popovo,
Prealav, and Turgovishte.
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Pleven Okrug -- consists of 8 okoliyas (one urban): Gulyan,
Lovnch, Lukovit, Pleven Urban, Pleven kiral, Svishtov, Teteven,
and Troyan.
Plovdiv Okrug -- consists of 13 okoliyas (2 urban): Asenovgrad,
Velingrad, Second Plovdiv Rural, Devin, Levakigrad, Pazardahik Rural,
Panagyuriehte Peshtera, Plovdiv Urban, First Plovdiv Rural, Purvomay,
and Smolyan.
Ruse Okrug - consists of 9 okoliyas (one urban): Belene,
Dulovo, .Isperikh, Kuhrat, haagrad, hose Urban, huse hural, silistra,
and Tutrakan.
Sofia Urban Ckrug -- consists of only one okoliya: Sofia
Urban Okoliya (SONS), having okrug rank, directly under the central
administrative organs (unlike the other urban okollyss and GNS which
are placed ureter okrugs).
Sofia Bural Okrug -- consists of 13 okoliyas (one urban):
Botevgrad, Dimitrovo Urban, Dimitrovo Rural, Kiln Penin, Ikhtiman,
Kyustendil, Pirdop, Ramodir, Samokov, Svoge, Slivnitsa, Stanke
Dimitrov, and Trun.
Stalin Okrug -- consists of 8 okol.iyas (2 urban): Balchik,
General Toshevo, Provadiya, Stalin Urban, Stalin Rural,, Tervel,
Tolbukhin Urban, and Tolbukhin Rural.
Stara Zagora Okrug -- consists of u okoliyas (4 urban):
Kasanluk Urban, Kasanluk Rural, Stara Zagora Urban, Stara Zagora
hural, Topolovgrad, Chirpan, Yambol Urban, Tambol hural, Nova
 Tt:m-,- " r - - date of E okoliyac (2 urban): Gala ovo
- ;..... Lasawyltsa, Ciyatwly, alsw, ,..a&".as,
erlievo, Turn o vruan, and Turadvo aural.
Khaskovo Okrug -- consists of 12 okoliyas (3 urban): Ardino,
Dimitrovgrad Urban, Ivaylovgrad, Kruaovgrad, Kurdshali Urban,
Kurdshali Rural, Madan, Moaohilgrad, Svilengrad, Kharmanli, Khaskovo
Urban and Khaskovo Rural.
with a similar map of before 9 September 1944, will reveal the
0
following differences.'
0
? On 9 September 19u4, 9 villages were okoliya centers, namely:
Ardino, General Tos:evo, Oodech, Dulovo,,Isperikh, Kubrat, Novoseltsi,
Sredets, and Teruel vIl.lages. `In 1949, Kubrat village was declared
?
a city, as a result of which the number of village okoliya centers
eecreased to 8. ?In 1952, Madan was declared an okoliya center, but
ir. the following year, the same village was made a city. According
to the 1955 law, Godech ceased to be an okoliya center, but 3 other
0
villages became such - Culyantsi, Svoge, and Slivnitsa villages.
Thus,'on 1 January 1956 the number of village okoliya centers was 10.
0
Afte"?9 September 1944s 15 okrug and okoliya centers (cities
and villages) were renamed, namely: Borisovgrad was renamed Purvomay,
?
Tolbukhins Dupnitsa became first Harek and then Stanke D mitroy,
Karluro becare Levskifrad,. Karnobat became Polyanovgrad, Nevrokop
beca:r Ootse Delchev, Novoseltai village became !`slin Pelin, Pernik
beca4.+ Dimi'?:ovo, Sve+i Vrach became Sandaneki, Sredets village
became Oruocvv, Ferdina-id became Mikhailovprad, Tsarevo became
Micaiurin, and Shuman became Kolarovgrad.
 Two new Bulgarian cities appeared on the map: Velingrad
(formed by the merging of Kamenitsa, Ludahene, and Chapin villages),
and-Dimitrovgrad (formed by the merging of Mariyno, Rakovski, and
Chernod(rzyovo villages).
okoliya centers, namely: Akhtopol, Banako, Bratsigovo, Vasovgrad,
Etropole, Zlatitaa, Kavarna, Kalofer, Klisura, Knesha, Koprivahtitaa,
Levaki, Lyaakoveta, Maritsa, Melnik, Nesebur, Sosopol, Tryavna,
Ustovc, and Cherven Bryag. With the establishment of Velingrad and
Dimitrovo and their rise to the rank of cities, the number of cities
which were not okoliya centers increased to 22. In 1950, the number
rose to 23 when Mezdra village was made a city. In 1952, Dimitrovo
was established as the center of an urban okoliya, and Zlatograd
ceased to be one. In accordance with the 1955 law, Velingrad became
an okoliya center, while Ereanik and Nikopol ceased to be such.
Thus the number of cities which were not okoliya centers by 1 January
1956 was 24.
The Law p;-staining to the change in the constituency of certain
village a:r lets, okoliyas, and okrugs in Bulgaria
IL.: law was adopted by the Second People's Assembly at its
12 Decamt 1955 session. It was established with a view to provid-
inggreai&a- opportunities for the implementation of the most varied
local, okoliya, and okrug planning; cultural and economic enterprises;
and for better service to the population on the one hand, and in
order to improve the leadership and control exerted by the local
state administrative organs and to reduce budget costs, on the other.
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The administrative changes envisaged by this law wont into
effect on 1 January 1956.
The following changes took place in Bulgaria: 7 okoliyas
were eliminated; 5 okoliyas were newly established; 5 urban
okoliyas were eliminated; one okoliya seats was transferred; 319
village soviets were eliminated; 39 village soviets were newly
established; 51 settlements were merged; 33 settled places and
hamlets were elevated administratively; there were 11 cases of the
administrative transfer of settlements from one okrug into another;
there were 50 cases of the transfer of settlements from one to
another okoliya within the same okrug; and there were 112 cases of
the transfer of settlements from one village soviet into another
village soviet within the same okoliya. This law effected a
total of 629 administrative changes (the largest number of changes
to be made since 9 September 1914: at any one time).
[Page 7 of original]
0 Capital; .~ okrug boundary;
? okrug center; okoliya boundary;
? okoliya center -- City; .__.city okoliya boundary;
? okoliya center -- village; ....changes between 1949-195:;
1 First Plovdiv Okoliya; z Second rlovdiv Okoliya.