Bulgaria’s President vetoed amendments to the Military Intelligence Act

Bulgaria’s President Rumen Radev on August 5 returned for a new discussion the Law on Amendments to the Military Intelligence Act. The Head of State does not agree with the changes that allow a civilian to head the Military Information Service as an alternative to the requirement to be a military member until now.

This does not correspond to the position held by the service as an integral part of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Bulgaria, announced the press secretariat of the Head of State. the press office of the Head of State said.

The head of the service should have the necessary skills, specific knowledge and professional experience, to ensure that its main tasks are related not only to obtaining intelligence, but also information necessary for the defence of the country and for the protection of the national security against external attacks, risks and threats.

There is a risk of a breach of the principles of centralized management and control of intelligence and political neutrality. The adopted law introduces inconsistency in the regulation on the management of the system of protection of national security, he said in the motives for the veto.