THE BULGARIAN AUTOMOBILE INDUSTRY

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP83-00415R002200020003-1
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 2
• Document Creation Date: December 19, 2016
• Document Release Date: January 23, 2006
• Sequence Number: 3
• Publication Date: February 11, 1949
• Content Type: REPORT

Approved For Release 2006/02/01 : CIA-RDP83-00415R002200020003-1
rr' CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
( LASSIFiCAT ION 1IaT1?yL..t ,. 3.
O F A ION
COUNTRY Bulgaria Ursa
SUBJECT The Bulgarian Autom6bile
Industry
of
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DATE DISTR. 11 Pobruary 1949
NO. OF PAGES 2
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The automobile factories at Plovdiv, ?ahose activities have been confined
to manufacturing certain sp. ee ports for trucks end tractor.:, and
making repairs to government and military vehicles, are being completely
reorgani zed.
2. On his return from a four months tour of duty in the Soviet Union (summer 1948),
Engineer Colonel Trajko Popov, wha is head of the factory's (planning)
departinont, submitted to the Bulgarian Government plans for the conversion
of the Plovdiv works to the manufacture of prc';otypes of Soviet GAZ..AA,,
3.2 ton vehicles and Soviet-typo GAZ-.67, -1 ton jeeps based on GAZ-AA and
GZA-M models. (Popov is a Soviet citizen of Bulgarian origin, Colonel
of the Red Army, and former engineer of the Molotov auto works at Gorki).
3. These jeeps, which will incorporate Viershanin's gasoline-saving device
(effecting a reduction in consumption of 25 to 35 percent), will be used in
the Bulgarian Army and police as well as for the requirements of agrteulture.
4., On completion of the prototypes and new installations, the Factory is
scheduled to turn out twventy-two la tons chassis and thirty-dive jeep
chassis a month for the first six months,
5. Popov?s plans have been accepted by the Bulgarian Council of Ministers
cm the strength of
g .. The Bulgar-Soviet Conmereial agreement by which hu tgari , is to obtain
from the Soviet Union the necessary raw materials aar..d machine tools, and
is,. Bobrov, the Soviet Minister at Sofia, has notified the Bulgarian ^irxistryy
of Foreign Affairs of th,i Soviet Union's agreement to tie steps taken
by Popov with Samilin (Soviet managing director of an engineering factory
at Moscow) to obtain tec'anioal and material assistance for the Bulgarian
automobile industry.
6. Samilin arrived on 9 November 1948 at Sofia and inspected the works at
Plovdiv.
7. Eight now factory buildingr,, are scheduled for completion by July 1949,
including three large manuiaaturing shops. The Soviet Union is to supply
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Approved Approved For Release 2006/02/01 : CIA-RDP83-00415R002200020003-1
 Approved For Release 2006/02/01 : CIA-RDP83-00415R002200020003-1
SECRET/CONTROL..U. S. OFFICIALS ONLY
CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AG+TCY
65 percent of the necessary equipment and raw materials between November
1948 and July 1949.
S. The number of workers at present employed at the Plovdiv works is 800,
but further employees are to be recruited January 1949 to bring the
total of new employees up to 1,500.
9. It is reported that.127 workmen wsro scheduled to leave for the Soviet
Union on 14 December 1948 on a four months training course in Soviet automobile
works. On their return to Plovdi?r-, these men will be employed as foremeno
10. Popov is leaving for Czechoslovak''Ea in January 1949 to become familiar with
techniques in the Czech automobi]r factories.
SECRET/CONTROL U, S. OFFICIALS ONLY
Approved For Release 2006/02/01 : CIA-RDP83-00415R002200020003-1