site.btaActs against National Security to Remain Intensive in 2024 - SANS Report

The year 2024 will see unabatingly high intensity of acts against Bulgaria's national security related to operations by foreign special services, malicious information campaigns and cyberattacks. The prediction is contained in the annual report of the State Agency for National Security (SANS) for 2023, published on the SANS website on Friday.

In 2024, SANS will seek to suppress unconstitutional acts and foreign destructive influences during elections, the report says.

It notes that Russia's conduct is generating growing threats to global security. "Fears are mounting of possible Russian aggression against other countries [i.e. other than Ukraine]. Moscow is set on undermining the unity of NATO and keeping the bloc from expanding by applying a hybrid approach, including by instrumentalizing friendly third countries, so-called proxies," SANS says.

With regard to the Western Balkans, the potential for mounting tensions associated with acts of violence and attempts to redraw national borders remained in place in 2023. "Hate speech against Bulgaria intensified in the region, which was sometimes exacerbated by physical violence against citizens of other countries identifying themselves as Bulgarians." According to SANS, the security situation in the Western Balkans last year became even more complicated due to highly active organized crime, illegal migration, corruption, rule of law violations and acts undermining democratic principles amid growing authoritarian tendencies.

"The role of the special services increased in 2023 due to the use of hybrid instruments of influence in Bulgaria's territory. As before, such influences targeted primarily the process of making political decisions in the country and were aimed at gaining positions to acquire information at the central and local level."

According to SANS, one of the more tangible results of the effort to minimize the risks and threats arising from the work of foreign special services in 2023 was the neutralization of four Russian and two Belarusian nationals. Six other foreigners affiliated with foreign special services were also neutralized.

In the case of 54 people who jeopardized Bulgaria's national security, in 2023 the SANS head ordered coercive administrative measures under the Foreigners in the Republic of Bulgaria Act and the Act on the Entry, Stay and Departure from the Republic of Bulgaria of EU Citizens and Members of Their Families. The agency proposed that 393 people be added to the national database on personae non gratae.

Also last year, the SANS head ordered coercive administrative measures against 14 foreign nationals for providing logistical support or being involved in terrorist activities. A total of 221 individuals suspected of involvement in terrorist or extremist activities were entered in the national database of personae non gratae.

The SANS report also analyzes developments in the financial sector, transport, healthcare, the environment, cybersecurity and counterterrorism in 2023.