site.btaMilitary Intelligence Director Resigns

ESD 18:35:02 17-07-2019
LN1841ES.127
127 DEFENCE - MILITARY INTELLIGENCE - DIRECTOR - RESIGNATION

Military Intelligence
Director
Resigns


Sofia, July 17 (BTA) - The director of the Military Information Service - the military intelligence of Bulgaria, Gen. Plamen Angelov, has asked to step down, Defence Minister Krassimir Karakachanov told the press here Wednesday. He asked to leave "in the interest of the service".

The announcment comes about a week after the prosecution service accused the present and the former military intelligence directors of official misconduct.

Karakachanov said that Gen. Angelov will remain in military service and will join his team as soon as the President decrees his discharge.

Asked whether he expects the military intelligence to be headed by a civilian, Karakachanov said that it is only an option and that the new director will be nominated by the Defence Minister and the appointment will go through the government and include a coordination procedure with the President's office to make sure the appointment will be decreed by the President.

Karakachanov said that he has no nominee for the vacated job to put forward at this point.

Asked to confirm or deny rumours about plans for a merger of the military and civilian intelligence, and attempts to destablize the military intelligence and possibly merge it with the civilian intelligence, the Minister said that there has been such ideas but they are not on the agenda any more. "I don't think this is a good idea and there are no such plans," said he. LN/