Bulgaria’s parliament overturns president’s veto on intelligence service laws

The National Assembly has rejected President Rumen Radev's veto on changes to the State Intelligence Agency Act (SIA) and the State Agency Technical Operations (SATO) Act, according to BNR reporter Maria Fileva. The changes strip the president of the power to appoint and dismiss the heads of the two agencies, transferring that authority to parliament.

Lawmakers from the ruling GERB, BSP and ITN parties, along with their allies DPS–New Beginning, voted in favour of re-adopting the legislation.

Opposition parties said the amendments open the door to political interference in the work of the security services and upset the constitutional balance between institutions.

“Behind this majority — or rather, in front of it — the figure of Delyan Peevski is clearly visible,” said Nikolay Radulov, an MP from the MECH party.

The nationalist Vazrazhdane party said it would challenge the changes in the Constitutional Court. Meanwhile, the parliamentary majority adopted procedural rules for electing a new head of the State Intelligence Agency. The government has seven days to submit its proposal.