2nd Scandal Shakes Bulgaria's Classified Info Commission

The former head of the National Security Services, Atanas Atanasov, insists abuse of power at the Bulgarian State Commission on Information Security deserves criminal prosecution. Photo by Sofia Photo Agency.

The leadership of the Bulgarian State Commission on Information Security (DKSI) had committed criminal abuse of power and breach of trust.

The claim was made Thursday by the former head of the National Security Services and now board member in the State company “Information Services,” Atanas Atanasov, who spoke in an interview for the private TV Channel bTV.

According to Atanasov, the right-wing Democrats for Strong Bulgaria (DSB) party’s information that the Head of DKSI, Tsveta Markova, has committed fraud with the repair of the building housing the Commission, by allotting a staggering BGN 18 M for the project and having spent more than BGN 22 M on just a fraction of it, is nothing compared to the other abuse and scandals emerging now.

One of the cases, revealed by Atanasov, who reminded that DKSI is the body granting access to classified information, based on investigation of the National Agency for State Security (DANS), involves Emil Valev, who in 2004, just after Bulgaria joined NATO, was nominated to become the country’s first NATO Ambassador.

At the time, DKSI in agreement with the NATO security services, refused to grant Valev, who has been a diplomat since the Communist regime, access to classified information – an incident stirring quite a scandal and embarrassment for Bulgaria and resulting in Valev’s failed nomination.

3 years later, however, in 2007, when President, Georgi Parvanov, was already in his second term, Valev was appointed the President’s Secretary on Foreign Policy and in April 2008 DKSI granted Valev access to classified information at the highest level.

Two of the Commission’s members at the time reacted very strongly and wrote Markova a letter, saying they agreed to vote yes on granting Valev access because they were hired later and were not informed about the NATO incident. In the letter they say they are alarmed by the fact a classified information certificate had been bestowed to Valev.

In the interview, Atanasov said he had given all information, documentation and evidence on the case to Interior Minister, Tsvetan Tsvetanov, a month ago, and hopes, after the latest revelations, Prime Minister, Boyko Borisov, who appoints the DKSI head, will personally interfere.

“This is an outrage and Markova must not only be fired, she must be prosecuted for abuse of power,” the former counter intelligence boss insisted.

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