FBI to Help Bulgaria Combat Cyber Crime

Bulgarian Interior Minister Tsvetan Tsvetanov (L) and FBI head Robert Mueller (R) met on Tuesday. Photo by Bulgaria's Interior Ministry

A special FBI agent will be sent to Bulgaria to help the Balkan country combat cyber crime; it was announced on Tuesday during Bulgarian Interior Minister Tsvetan Tsvetanov's US visit.

The special agent will assist the cyber crime unit within Bulgaria's Main Directorate for Fighting Organized Crime (GDBOP), the Bulgarian Dnevnik daily clarifies. The agent will help in cases involving child pornography, identity theft and financial crimes, among others.

FBI head Robert Mueller will visit Bulgaria in December, it was also made clear during Tsvetanov's visit to the US.  Mueller, who met with Tsvetanov on Tuesday, declared that FBI's cooperation with the Bulgarian Interior Ministry is currently "better than ever".

Eric Holder, Attorney General of the United States, also met with the Bulgarian Interior Minister on Tuesday. Holder was particularly interested in Bulgaria's specialized first-instance criminal court which will be set up to hear high-profile organized crime and corruption cases.

According to an Interior Ministry press release, Tsvetanov's delegation also has planned meetings with Leon Panetta, Director of CIA, John Brennan, Chief Counterterrorism Advisor to President Barack Obama, Howard Schmidt, Cyber-Security Coordinator of the Obama Administration, operating in the Executive Office of the President of the United States, Janet Napolitano, United States Secretary of Homeland Security, William Brownfield, Assistant Secretary of State for the Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs, and with William Burns, Deputy Secretary of State.

We need your support so Novinite.com can keep delivering news and information about Bulgaria! Thank you!