MISCELLANEOUS ECONOMIC AND POLITICAL INFORMATION FROM THE SVISHTOV, PLOVDIV, AND ZLATOGRAD AREAS

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP80S01540R001900020009-6
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 4
• Document Creation Date: December 27, 2016
• Document Release Date: November 30, 2012
• Sequence Number: 9
• Publication Date: August 18, 1953
• Content Type: REPORT

Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/11/30: CIA-RDP80501540R001900020009-6
CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
INFORMATION REPORT
SECRET
SECURITY INFORMATiON
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This Document contains information affecting the Na-
tional Defense of the United States, within the mean-
ing of Title 18, Sections 793 and 794, of the U.S. Code, as
amended. Its transmission or revelation of its contents
to or receipt by an unauthorized person is prohibited
by law. The reproduction of this form is prohibited.
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COUNTRY
SUBJECT
? DATE OF INFO.
Bulgaria
Miscellaneous Economic and Political
Information fram the Swisbtov? Plovdiv,
and Zlatograd Areas
PLACE ACQUIREC
REPORT
DATE DISTR.
NO. OF PAGES
REQUIREMENT NO. RD
REFERENCES
18 August 1953
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THE SOURCE EVALUATIONS IN THIS REPORT ARE DEFINITIVE.
THE APPRAISAL OF CONTENT IS TENTATIVE.
(FOR KEY SEE REVERSE)
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Plovdiv
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1. Private firms from Western countries were represented
at the 1952 Plovdiv Fair. Their displays were in a separate? courtyard. How-
ever, since many goods were at extremely low prices and attracted many visitors
to the fair, the State Security confiscated the goods and sealed up the courtvard
on the grounds that the display was propaganda.
a.
Svishtov
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there is a hydroelectric plant in Vardim village, Svishtov
oxollya, which is located on the Danube River 200 meters from the villige near a
hemp factory. The pater station is connected with Rumania by means of high power
lines through Ruse. This is a small station.
3,,. A thermelectric plant is located in Svishtov near the bars in the city center.
It is in the vicinity of the OkolJya Peoplets Council building and the Svishtov
Academy. It is also a small power installation.
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STATE
ARMY
NAVY
AIR
FBI
AEC
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4. In May 1950, a freighter was taking corn and rice from Bulgaria to Czechoslovakia,
whin the captain of the ship noticed that the grain had become spoiled (probably
from the dampness)-. Believing that he would be held responsible for the cargo, he
put his wife and child into a rowboat and set out for the Yugoslav shore. They
Were discovered and fired on fram the ship. Border. Guards on the Serbian shore
then opened fire on the ship and the captain and his family managed to reach the
shore safelv.
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5. In April 1951, the Bulgarian government received a first class passenger steamer
fr.am Austria, which was to be i.iamsd the BLAGOEV and which, would have been the best
Passenger steamer .1m the Danube. The ship made one trial run to Svishtav and later
to-Ruse. After only a month in Bulgarian waters, it was set on fire in Ruse harbor
and all but the steel frame was d strayed. Mass arrests were made in connection
with the incid nt. It was said that the fire was caused by sabotage, but the
authorities were not able t prove this charge or to discover who was responsible.
It was said that the damage to the State amounted to about 800000,000 leva, in-
cluding the Persian rugs and furniture with which the steamer was fitted.
6. The State rice factory in Sviahti is located about 50 meters southeast of the
city. It was formerly known as the Olio Factory. It employs about 50 male
workers in three shifts per day. In 1951, the factory produced approximately
16,000 tons of rice. The first and second quality rice was, almost exclusively
loaded into steamships and ent to the USSR; it is said that some was sent to
Czechoslovakia, and that only part of the third quality rice remained for local
oonsumption. The factory was built in 1948. Its machinery is of European mairu-
facturee the machines had been installed in another factory
in the interior of the country, but that they had been dismantled and brought to
Svishtov where they w re remounted and assembled. 50X1-HUM
7,
8.
9.
2latograd
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bout 25 ?r30 Militia men and about 10 Militia officers in Zlato-
grad. They. were all armedwith Soviet Shpagin automatic weapons.
An asbestos mine is loc ted in the hills in the vicinity of the southern section
of Divisilovo village rear a streey. It is 500-600 meters south of the village
and approximately 2.5 kilometers northeast of the thirteenth line of "Lyulyak"
Zastav. . Approximately 80 workers are =mployed in one shift per day. The mine
has four compressor 0 only two (with 30 drills) of whichpare *irr,usitn-v2 Tlia Mine is
very rich; however, there w a larie landslide in September 1952 and about 50
decares of the richest shafts were'buried and had not yet been open for re- 50X1-HUM
exploitation as of November 1952. About four or five shahs were equipped with
narrow-gauge tracks for bringing the ore out of the mine, but"Severarof these
were covered by the landslide. the ore is trandported from
the mine, by means of truck, The
mine was opened in 1950 or 1951 whyl the compressors were installed. It is under
the direct control of the Lyulyak Zasta a, and has a Party organization.
the whole ar a 6ontaims rich asbe tos deposits and that this mine will
be especially well worked in the fuUrte. 50X1-HUM
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A unit of the Gorub a mines is located about 20 kilometers west of Zlatograd and
is connected with the villag by means of a spoWal hi:ghvgq. The mine has one shaft
which is located on top of a hill'. The shaft has an elevator 250 meters deep with
drifts each 50 meters for taking out Ae ore. The tunnels are all about 600 meters
long. The five drifts are lined up under each other, and on the opposite and there
is a shaft which opens into t fifth drift into which ore from the second, third,
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and fourth drifts is lowered; this shaft does not open to the surface. The exit
of the fifth drift faces west. This drift has -a narrow gauge rail line for
carrying the ore to the outside. The other drifts have narrow gauge tracks for
bringing the ore to the interior shaft where it is lowered into the fifth drift
for transporting to the surface. The first drift has three branches leading to
excavation points; one of these branches is connected with the interior shaft for
lowering the ore. This drift has an exit of its own, and ore dug from the remain-
ing two excavation points is carried out through this exit (which faces west) where
it is poured out into a concrete chute holding about 20 cars of ore. The ore then
goes into a stone crusher, under which the cars of the cable line pass. The workers
at the concrete chute open the door of the crusher and load the cars. then lock the
door of the crusher-by means of a special lever, the ore
is carried to KrardZhAli cm this cable line. The ore from the fifth drift is loaded
into trucks and sent to Kiirdzhali' for cleanings partial refining, and processing.
The interior of the mine is lighted by electricity. About 500-600 Trudovaks and
a smaller number of civilian workers are employed at the mine. The chief ore (If
the mine is iron, the ore is not "especially rich." 50X1 -HUM
The mine is serviced by trucks from the Gorubso enterprise in the eastern section
of Zlatograd; about .1) tracks are used at the mines. this
mine was opened by the Germans. 50X1 -HUM
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Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/11/30: CIA-RDP80501540R001900020009-6