site.btaElectronic Governance Minister, BRAIT Discuss Development of Centralized Cybersecurity System

Minister of Electronic Governance Valentin Mundrov held a meeting on Thursday with Ilia Krastev, Chairman of the Bulgarian Employers' Association Innovative Technologies (BRAIT), and other representatives of the industry organization, the Ministry reported. Deputy Minister of Electronic Governance Alexander Yolovski and National Cybersecurity Coordinator Simeon Kartselyanski also participated in the meeting.

The focus of the conversation was the construction of an upcoming centralized national cybersecurity system, which is intended to ensure national security and data sovereignty in the country. Minister Mundrov emphasized that implementing this project will enable Bulgaria to rank among the leading countries and respond adequately to new cybersecurity challenges. He added that developing a modern, sustainable and reliable system is a matter of national importance and a priority.

Mundrov stated that, during his time as minister, he has always been guided by the principles of transparency and openness. He said that all public procurement contracts at the Ministry of Electronic Governance are open and comply with the requirements of the Public Procurement Act, allowing for the participation of the widest possible range of companies.

He specified that the legacy inherited from when the Ministry was first established, included secret procedures with restrictive technical parameters. According to him, some procedures had been classified for at least 15 years, with no public information about their values, specifications, or contractors. In contrast, today everything in the Ministry of Electronic Governance is open and transparent and there are no longer any closed procedures. He added further that the State has a responsibility to protect the national interest by ensuring that taxpayers' money is spent effectively and transparently for the benefit of society.

The Minister expressed his belief that the State and businesses must collaborate to drive digital transformation, enhance cybersecurity, and boost the competitiveness of the Bulgarian economy.

BRAIT representatives expressed their satisfaction with the progress made by Information Services AD in recent years, highlighting the company's significant development in terms of expertise and technological capacity.