Bulgaria to Clarify Structure of Special Services in 2-3 Months

Domestic | March 10, 2012, Saturday // 13:18|  views

Tsvetelin Yovchev, head of the President's Office and former DANS chief, has backed the idea of merit-based bonus payments. Photo by BGNES

Tsvetelin Yovchev, head of the President's Office and former Director of the State Agency for National Security (DANS), has said that the changes to the principles of organization at Bulgaria's special services will be clear in 2-3 months' time.

In an interview for a Saturday program on Darik radio, he specified that there were no plans for establishing new structures so far.

Yovchev explained that a working group has been tasked with preparing a law on national security under which a special unit would support the work of the government as a consultative body.

He stressed that the measure did not imply any staff increases.

"A decision is yet to be made on the optimal configuration of the services so as to ensure their most efficient functioning. Threats are usually asymmetrical and there needs to be good coordination between the services," Yovchev announced.

Calling for "an all-encompassing and integrated approach" to the reforms, he argued that a common governing body would boost the efficiency of the services.

Yovchev noted, however, that no decision had yet been taken on the potential merger.

Commenting on the recent bonus scandal, the former head of DANS said that no extra payments had been earmarked for the current presidential administration and that he had not received any information about the practices of the previous Offices.

He backed the idea of granting additional financial incentives as long as it was done in accordnace with clear-cut rules.

Yovchev elaborated on the "bonus-free" payment scheme at DANS – 80% fixed salary plus 20% variable depending on a straightforward evaluation system.

Asked why the President Rosen Plevneliev had travelled on a US plane on his visit to Afghanistan, he explained that aircraft provided by NATO had been preferred to a Bulgarian one due to security concerns and the extremely complex current state of affairs in the country.

Yovchev pointed out that President Plevneliev had been advised to postpone going to Afghanistan but he had nevertheless insisted to make the visit.

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Tags: Tsvetelin Yovchev, State Agency for National Security, DANS, Rosen Plevneliev, bonuses, bonus payments, Bulgarian President, Afghanistan

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