President Rumen Radev Refused to Appoint Denyo Denev as head of SANS

President Rumen Radev has refused the government’s proposal to appoint Denyo Denev as permanent chairman of the State Agency for National Security (DANS). Denev currently serves as interim head of the agency.

Radev also announced he will submit signals to the competent authorities following a journalistic investigation uncovering alleged violations and abuses at VMZ-Sopot, Bulgaria’s state-owned arms manufacturer.

Responding to comments by GERB leader Boyko Borissov, who accused him of attempting to undermine the planned investment by German defence giant Rheinmetall, Radev rejected the claims:

Rumen Radev, President of the Republic of Bulgaria. “Borissov should first be satisfied and grateful that I brought Mr Papperger [CEO of Rheinmetall] to Bulgaria and convinced him to invest here, because Bulgaria truly offers excellent opportunities for investment. The real question is how and in what this investment will be implemented — and that responsibility lies with the executive branch. I have no intention of disrupting anything. But when the presidential institution receives signals of abuse, I am obliged to react, as I always have.”