site.btaUPDATED Head of Committee for Control of Security Services Steps Down after GERB Pull Out Support for Proposed Merger of Intelligence Services

Continue the Change - Democratic Bulgaria (CC-DB) co-floor leader Atanas Atanasov has announced that he is stepping down as chair of the parliamentary Committee for Control of the Security Services, the Application and Use of Special Intelligence Means and Data Access under the Electronic Communications Act, the National Assembly press service told BTA on Wednesday.

CC-DB deputy Yordan Ivanov told reporters in the corridors of Parliament that Atanasov came down "because GERB and leader Boyko Borissov made a commitment to reform the intelligence services but then stepped back". 

Atanasov said last week that his Continue the Change - Democratic Bulgaria coalition were proposing a merger of the military and civilian intelligence. The Movement for Rights and Freedoms (MRF) have expressed support, while making it clear that the details were yet to be considered, but GERB leader Boyko Borissov expressed objections to the idea on Tuesday. 

On Wednesday, however, MRF deputy Delyan Peevski said that after Borissov's refusal to back the changes and since there is no majority in favour of the changes, MRF is not going to back them either.

MP Yordan Ivanov said of GERB's walking away from their commitment: "It is a problem for us because promises are made to be met. With their actions, GERB leave the intelligence services in the hands of President Rumen Radev."

He also said that after Atanasov's resignation from the committee leadership, the job will go to Boyko Rashkov MP, who is a former Interior Minister.

Atanasov was named chair of the security services oversight committee at the start of Parliament's autumn session on September 1.

He said that Atanasov's decision to come down is his own and it is not going to change anything.