site.btaPermanent Secretary of Defence Becomes Highest-ranking Official at Defence Ministry

Sofia, September 27 (BTA) - Under amendments to the Defence and Armed Forces Act adopted conclusively on Wednesday, the Permanent Secretary of Defence becomes the highest-ranking official at the Defence Ministry. Prior to the amendments, the corresponding provision read that this person was a "high-ranking official at the Defence Ministry".

The Permanent Secretary of Defence is appointed by the Defence Minister in coordination with the Prime Minister for a term of four years. The eligible candidate needs to have at least eight years of work experience and a fourth senior rank as public official, as well as three years at a leadership position in the public administration, of which at least one year at the Defence Ministry. The candidate also needs to have received a higher annual rating of his/her work in the year preceding the appointment as Permanent Secretary of Defence.

Another amendment to the Defence and Armed Forces Act stipulates that once promoted to a high officer rank, military officers should be presented to the parliamentary Defence Committee by the Defence Minister or a deputy minister determined by him.

Krassimir Yankov of BSP for Bulgaria said that his party voted against the amendments because it regards as disrespectful the obligatory presentation of high-ranking military officers in Parliament.