Parliament Adopts Procedure for Election of SANS Chairman

Petya Petrova

BTA Photo/Nikola Uzunov

Sofia,

30.10.2025 13:09

(BTA)

Parliament on Thursday adopted rules in relation to the procedure for nominating a candidate for Chairperson of the State Agency for National Security (SANS), a preliminary hearing before the Parliamentary Committee on Internal Security and Public Order, and subsequent election by the National Assembly. The proposal was submitted by the Committee on Internal Security and Public Order.

A total of 125 MPs voted in favor (GERB–UDF, MRF–New Beginning, BSP–United Left, There Is Such a People, and two independent MPs). 71 MPs voted against from Continue the Change–Democratic Bulgaria, Vazrazhdane, Alliance for Rights and Freedoms, MECh, and Velichie. Three MPs from CC–DB abstained.

According to the adopted rules, the nomination for SANS Chairperson must be submitted in writing by the Council of Ministers to the parliamentary Committee on Internal Security within seven days of the approval of the rules. The proposal must include the candidate’s written consent, a certified copy of their higher education diploma, and documents proving 12 years of legal or security service experience, at least five of which in a managerial position.

The proposal and the required documents must be published on the National Assembly’s website 14 days before the hearing. Nonprofit legal entities may submit opinions on the nomination to the committee no later than three days before the hearing, and the media may submit questions within the same timeframe.

The candidate will be vetted for connections to the former State Security and the intelligence services of the Bulgarian People’s Army.

The hearing of the candidate must take place within seven days after the completion of all background checks by the parliamentary Internal Security Committee.

Parliament decided that voting in the plenary session will be open. A candidate is considered elected if they receive more than half of the votes of the MPs present. If the candidate does not receive the required majority, Parliament must adopt a decision to open a new nomination procedure.

/NZ/