Bulgarian security services neutralize powerful GPS jammer in Sofia

Bulgaria’s State Agency for National Security (DANS), jointly with the Communications Regulation Commission and the Sofia Directorate of the Interior, have located and neutralized a powerful GPS jammer in the Sofia neighbourhood of Dragalevtsi, the agency’s press office has reported.

The device, found in a heavily guarded complex, was suppressing GPS frequencies across Sofia, including those used at Sofia Airport, by aircraft flying over the city and by television towers.

Speaking to journalists at the site, a restaurant complex that continued operating during the operation, manager Nikolay Ivanov categorically denied that any such device had been found there.

For the time being, the Ministry of the Interior and DANS have provided no further details about the jamming device. It is also unclear how it was detected and how investigators were led to the site. The two institutions said further information would be released at a later stage, BNR reporter Nikolay Hristov said.

Professional pilot and aviation journalist Aleksandar Bogoyavlenski told the Bulgarian National Radio (BNR) that there had been problems with GPS signals affecting aircraft taking off from and landing at Sofia Airport over the past several days.

The Ministry of Transport and the State Enterprise Air Traffic Services told BNR that flight safety had not been compromised, as aircraft can rely on independent ground-based navigation systems that are not affected by GPS jamming.

In connection with the incident, the press office of Vasil Levski Sofia Airport told the Bulgarian News Agency (BTA) that airport operations had not been affected and flights were being operated according to schedule.

Edited by Miglena Ivanova