State Intelligence Agency (Bulgaria)

[1] The history of intelligence agencies in Bulgaria dates back to 1925 when the Law on Administration & Police (Закона за администрацията и полицията, Zakona za Administracijata i Policijata) & the Police Directorate of the State Security Department set up a Foreign Policy Service (външнополитическа служба, Vohnšnopolitičeska služba).

Reforms in the security sector in Bulgaria began as early as 1991; the period was characterized by the deep mistrust of the successors of the Communist-era services and by dismissal of several experienced officials on political grounds.

The agency also takes part in the activities of the intelligence communities of the European Union (EU) and the North-Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO).

The agency supplies intelligence reports, identical in volume and content to the president of the Republic, the speaker of the National Assembly and the prime minister.

SIA’s functions are:[6] The activities of the State Intelligence Agency as part of the system of national security protection and the agency’s chairperson are subject to parliamentary, administrative, judicial and civil control under Article 21 of the Act on the Management and Functioning of the System of National Security Protection.