Foreign Intel Exposes Russian Spying
Democratic Bulgaria Chair Atanas Atanassov stated Thursday that Bulgaria relies heavily on foreign intelligence services for information about Russian espionage activities within the country. He criticized the national security agencies for either lacking intelligence or choosing not to share it, CE Report quotes BTA
Atanassov said Bulgaria received far more useful information from two foreign services than from its own counterintelligence, which is tasked with monitoring foreign threats.
Parliament recently questioned the heads of the State Agency for National Security (SANS), the State Intelligence Agency, and the Defence Intelligence Service about Russian disinformation and special operations targeting Bulgaria.
Despite the appointment of Denyo Denev as acting SANS Chair, Atanassov called for a cautious approach, noting that several espionage scandals have come to light — all thanks to foreign agencies. He also questioned the effectiveness of Bulgaria’s counterintelligence, especially in light of Russia labeling Bulgaria an "enemy state" and the ongoing war in Ukraine.
