site.btaVazrazhdane Will Not Back Amendments Stripping President of Power to Appoint Security, Intelligence Chiefs

Vazrazhdane leader Kostadin Kostadinov commented on draft amendments proposed by MPs of the government coalition to the laws on the State Agency for National Security (SANS), the State Intelligence Agency (SIA) and the State Agency Technical Operations (SATO), stripping the President of the power to appoint their leaders.

Speaking to reporters in Parliament, Kostadinov said his party would not back the proposed amendments, under which the heads of SANS, SIA and SATO would be nominated by the Council of Ministers as now, but would be appointed by a National Assembly resolution instead of by a presidential decree.

On Wednesday, President Rumen Radev refused to decree the appointment of Denyo Denev as SANS chairperson. Denev, who is now acting SANS Chair, was nominated for the office in early September, when the government asked Radev to issue a decree on his appointment.