site.btaSANS Deputy Chair: Gathering Up-to-Date Information on Crimes аgainst Citizens’ Political Rights Has Been Stepped Up

The activity to acquire up-to-date information on crimes against citizens’ political rights for the October 27 parliamentary elections has been intensified, said Deputy Chair of the State Agency for National Security (SANS), Georgi Georgiev. He took part in a meeting organized Wednesday by President Rumen Radev with representatives of the institutions responsible for the preparation of the upcoming elections.

The activity on counter-intelligence security of the elections has been increased in order to prevent attempts of influence and interference of foreign services and entities, actions of terrorist extremist groups, Georgiev said. The surveillance of people from at-risk countries has been also increased, as well as operational control of sympathizers and members of organizations and extremist-minded groups, SANS Deputy Chair added. 

SANS has drawn up a plan to prevent the commission of crimes against the citizens’ political rights or other illegal acts. Operational headquarters has been set up to coordinate the overall information and analytical work of the electoral process. Instructions have been sent to the structures of the agency by territories for planning measures and checking every alert received, Georgiev said.  

An organization coordinating the exchange of results between the Section Election Commission from abroad and the Central Election Commission has also been set up. In a monitoring centre, the information infrastructures of some of Bulgaria's strategic sites are monitored and responded to according to a pre-established plan. Guidelines have been prepared for the verification of strategic sites, immediately before and during the electoral process. 

Prescriptions for cybersecurity measures are being prepared to be provided to all strategic sites in the country. 

Georgiev pointed out that verification and analysis of information, including cash withdrawals in particularly large amounts, is being carried out. Priority is given to looking at such information on persons who have previously been reported to be involved in unauthorized activities related to the electoral process.