The Dimitrov Constitution was the second Constitution of Bulgaria, in effect from 1947 to 1971.Konstantinov, Emil
Constitutional Foundation of Bulgaria (Historical Parallels)
. Rigas Network, 2002. It formed the legal basis for Communist rule in Bulgaria. The document was named after the country's first Communist leader, Georgi Dimitrov. He guided the framing of the 1947 constitution on the model of the

1936 Soviet Constitution The 1936 Constitution of the Soviet Union, also known as the Stalin Constitution, was the constitution of the Soviet Union adopted on 5 December 1936. The 1936 Constitution was the second constitution of the Soviet Union and replaced the 1924 ...

. The Dimitrov Constitution guaranteed citizens all manner of personal freedoms, such as equality before the law, freedom from discrimination, freedom of speech, press, and assembly, and inviolability of person, domicile, and correspondence. However, these rights were effectively rendered meaningless by a clause prohibiting activity that would jeopardize the attainments of "the national revolution of 9 September 1944." Citizens were guaranteed employment but required to work in a socially useful capacity. The constitution also prescribed a planned national economy, and provided for a national welfare system. Unlike the Soviet Constitution, private property was allowed, provided that it was not used "to the detriment of the public good." The constitution set up a highly centralized governmental structure. The legislature, the

National Assembly In politics, a national assembly is either a unicameral legislature, the lower house of a bicameral legislature, or both houses of a bicameral legislature together. In the English language it generally means "an assembly composed of the repr ...

, was defined as the "highest organ of state power." It was elected for a four-year term and met in regular session twice a year. In practice, it did little more than rubber-stamp decisions already made at the highest levels of the Bulgarian Communist Party When the National Assembly was not in session, its powers were exercised by a Presidium comprising a president (a post equivalent to that of president of the republic) and 18 members. The Presidium also had the power to declare war, make peace, amend the constitution, and approve the national economic plan. Executive authority was vested in a Council of Ministers appointed by the Presidium. Its chairman, the

prime minister A prime minister or chief of cabinet is the head of the cabinet and the leader of the ministers in the executive branch of government, often in a parliamentary or semi-presidential system. A prime minister is not the head of state, but r ...

, was almost always the leader of the Communist Party. The judiciary was appointed by the National Assembly at all levels and lost all independence. Local government was exercised by people's councils, who elected executive committees responsible to the Presidium. The constitution remained in effect until 1971, when it was replaced by the Zhivkov Constitution.

References

External links

The text of the Constitution of 1947 in Bulgarian at the site of the Bulgarian Parliament.
{{Authority control Constitutions of Bulgaria Defunct constitutions Legal history of Bulgaria 1947 in Bulgaria 1947 documents

Constitution A constitution is the aggregate of fundamental principles or established precedents that constitute the legal basis of a polity, organization or other type of entity, and commonly determines how that entity is to be governed. When these pri ...

1947 in law 1947 in politics