ted
freedom of private property and provided for its nationalization under
the authority of the National Assembly. More specifically, Article 80 of
the constitution dealt directly with the system of mass communications:
"The state cares for the development of science and art by establishing
... publishing houses, libraries, theatres, museums, public reading
clubs, ... film studios, [and] cinemas...."

In 1956 the premier of the communist regime, Vulko Chervenkov,
emphasized the ultimate control of the party over all institutions of
the country. He stated: "No institution, organization, or person can be
above the Politburo and the Central Committee ... those guilty of
deviation from the Bolshevik rule must be held responsible and
punished." Under his successor, Todor Zhivkov, a slight liberalization
regarding freedom of the media ensued (see ch. 9). For a brief period
writers and scholars were given greater latitude of expression. When
some writers dared to openly criticize the government, however, Zhivkov
was unable to tolerate this criticism and reimposed restrictions on the
media. The ultimate authority of the party was again made manifest. In
an article in 1969, Georgi Bokov, chief editor of _Rabotnichesko Delo_
and chairman of the Union of Bulgarian Journalists, flatly rejected the
notions of freedom and independence for the mass communications system.
The stated goals of the Union of Bulgarian Journalists in the late 1960s
were "to promote the development of mass information and propaganda
media as first-rate ideological weapons in the struggle for the victory
of socialism and Communism ... the Union must constantly work to turn
the press, radio, and television into effective ideological instruments
for the Party."

In 1971, a new constitution was promulgated, but the basic clauses of
the 1947 document, regarding so-called individual freedoms and state
ownership, remained essentially intact. It was restated in Article 54
that "citizens enjoy freedom of speech, press, meetings, associations
and demonstrations." Article 46 again provided for state development of,
and control over, the mass communications system.

The results of the policy regarding the media are witnessed by numerous
examples of party control and the repression of dissidents. All
newspapers must provide space for the official news of the government,
and all Central Committee directives must be printed without alteration.
No dispatches sent out by