site.btaAmendments to MPs’ Security Pass First Reading in Internal Security Committee amid Debate over MRF–New Beginning Leader’s Protection

The parliamentary Committee on Internal Security and Public Order Thursday unanimously approved at first reading, with 18 votes in favour, a bill amending and supplementing the National Service for Protection (NSP) Act concerning the provision of security for Members of Parliament. The bill was tabled by Continue the Change – Democratic Bulgaria (CC-DB) MP Ivaylo Mirchev and a group of MPs on December 10, 2025.

The sponsors of the bill state that the NSP should focus on protecting persons holding high state offices. All other cases involving threats to individuals who do not hold such positions should be handled by the Interior Ministry, more specifically by the General Directorate of Gendarmerie, Special Operations and Counterterrorism, which already provides protection to state officials when there is a specific threat related to their duties. The motives further note that the NSP should not be turned into an elite bodyguard service for influential politicians who do not occupy high state office but may, through illegitimate influence on the security services, secure such protection.

Earlier on Thursday, Mirchev accused MRF – New Beginning of providing false information about their Floor Leader Delyan Peevski’s security detail. "They lied about the number of security guards, the salaries, the number of berets, the fact that there is no police or gendarmerie, but it is full of police and gendarmerie who have to maintain Peevski's security," he added. On Wednesday, MRF - New Beginning said four officers and sergeants from NSP were assigned to Peevski - according to them, the average gross monthly salary of commissioned officers is around BGN 4,000, while that of sergeants is about BGN 3,000. He criticized the continued assignment of special security to Peevski following a dubious tip-off from foreign intelligence agencies. "Today, in committee, we will request that Peevski's security detail be removed and that no MP use the National Service for Protection and berets," Mirchev said. 

In response, Peevski announced that he would formally request that the parliamentary Committee on Internal Security and Public Order assess whether he needs security protection. "If it is not necessary, I will accept the Committee's decision, as I have done in the past and have refused such security. But I will not allow populists to leave MPs and other government officials without security," he said.

Debating the bill, Internal Security and Public Order Committee Chair, Manoil Manev (GERB-UDF), said that the proposed withdrawal of protection is aimed at depriving GERB leader Boyko Borissov of security. He stressed that Borissov’s protection is provided under Article 21 of the NSP Act and has been assessed based on numerous facts and circumstances available to the services. Manev added that GERB would vote in favour of the bill at first reading to ensure that, in subsequent stages of the legislative process, all declassifiable information could be made public so that citizens understand the matter fully.

Bozhidar Bozhanov of CC-DB said the bill is not about an individual but about promoting a model. “We are proposing the removal of NSP protection for all MPs. There are other ways for these people to be protected,” he said.

Nikolay Radulov of Morality, Unity, Honour (MECh) said that the approach should be a list of persons eligible for protection, including the National Assembly Chair and Deputy Chairs, the President, the Vice President and the Prosecutor General.

Boyko Rashkov of CC-DB recalled that years ago, Peevski requested and received protection because of an imaginary threat, which led not only to security being provided but also to the use of special surveillance means, and several individuals were remanded in custody. “As interior minister at the time, I reviewed documents related to the protection of certain individuals and became convinced that, in some cases, the information used to decide on providing protection was open to criticism,” Rashkov said. He asked NSP Chief General Emil Tonev if a letter had been sent by Peevski to the specialized commission under the NSP Act and whether an emergency meeting had been convened to consider the matter.

In response to Rashkov’s question, Tonev confirmed that there is such a letter, that the commission had not convened, and that the remainder of his answer should be given in a closed session.

Support for the bill was also expressed by Tsveta Rangelova MP of Vazrazhdane, who said that some of the texts needed further refinement.