site.btaPersonnel Changes at Top of Bulgaria's Security Services

At its meeting on Wednesday, the Council of Ministers adopted a decision designating Georgi Georgiev Deputy Chair of the State Agency for National Security (SANS), effective until July 28, 2028, the Government Information Service said. Georgiev replaces Petar Petrov, who was released by a Council of Ministers decision on April 11, 2024, prior to the expiry of his term in office.

Georgi Georgiev is a long-serving staff member of the Agency and meets the requirements of the State Agency for National Security Act for holding this office.

Also on Wednesday, the Council of Ministers adopted a decision releasing Kalin Tsekov from the position of deputy chair of the State Intelligence Agency, effective July 1, 2024, accepting Tsekov's resignation.

The caretaker Cabinet designated a new lineup of the State Commission on Information Security (SCIS): Petar Groshlev (Chairperson), Ivaylo Konakchiiski (Deputy Chairperson) and Bogdan Bogdanov, Dinko Lulev and Atanas Raydovski (members).

By the same decision, the Council of Ministers released the previous the previous complement of the SCIS: Tsvyatko Georgiev as chairperson and Simeon Nikolov, Aleksi Aleksiev and Ivo Velikov as members.

Petar Groshlev is a graduate of the Vasil Levski Higher People's Military School and the Academy of the Ministry of Interior. He commanded a platoon and a company of the Bulgarian Armed Forces between 1987 and 1992. Later on, he worked as a police inspector, head of sector and director of the Sofia Regional Directorate of the Interior Ministry.

Ivaylo Konakchiiski is a graduate of the Panayot Volov Higher People's Military Artillery School. After a long career as holder of senior positions at the Ministry of Interior, his last job was in the prosecution service.

Bogdan Bogdanov graduated from the St Kliment Ohridski University of Sofia and the Academy of the Ministry of Interior. He previously worked at the Interior Ministry, SANS, the Foreign Ministry, and the State Agency for Refugees.

Dinko Lulev graduated from the University of Economics - Varna. He is a long-serving member of the State Agency for National Security. 

Atanas Raydovski graduated in law from the Neofit Rilski South-West University in Blageovgrad. He has worked at the Haskovo unit of the National Security Service. His last job was an expert at SANS.