me.

WORK AND LEISURE

In 1973 the country was in the process of shifting from a
forty-six-hour, six-day workweek to a 42.5-hour, five-day workweek. The
transition was being carried out district by district according to a set
schedule. It was to be completed by 1975. Persons working in
agriculture, education, and the health service, however, were to
continue to work their forty-six hour workweek, except where the actual
work involved was adaptable to a reduced workweek.

The reduction in working hours had been a much debated subject for
several years. It was first promised by the government in 1968, but its
implementation has been slow because it is predicated on the same level
of productivity and output by each enterprise as before implementation.
Pressure for reduced working hours has been strong because most
Bulgarians have very little time for genuine leisure in their daily
life.

The lack of time for genuine leisure is the result not only of long
working hours but also of an inadequate trade and service network, a
shortage of time-saving household equipment, and an excessive
bureaucracy. All the daily chores, such as housekeeping, shopping, and
attending to other personal or family matters, are time consuming and
cumbersome. Studies have shown that all persons over the age of six
devote an average of four hours out of every twenty-four to housework
alone. The national leadership feels this is excessive and has proposed
measures to develop the service sector.

The favorite leisure-time activity of young and old, urban and rural
Bulgarians is to get together with friends for informal socializing. Men
congregate at the neighborhood tavern or their favorite cafe to drink
plum brandy or wine, play cards, and talk about the latest news. Women
gather to gossip at each other's homes, at the village pump, or at the
neighborhood playground or park. The evening promenade is an important
diversion for all ages and social groups. Walking back and forth at some
designated public thoroughfare in small groups of friends or relatives,
people greet each other and exchange pleasantries.

Sports are a major form of recreation for young people. Soccer is the
national sport, and the matches of major teams are followed with great
interest. Hiking and picnic excursions are popular among city dwellers
who like to get out into the country to enjoy the beauty and
tranquillity of nature. In towns and cities, the theater, operas,
con