REFORMING THE BULGARIAN MINISTRY OF INTERIOR

C O N F I D E N T I A L SOFIA 000248

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

PLEASE PASS TO S/CT, INL - ERIN BARCLAY, NSC - ADAMS AND
STERLING, DHS - STEWART BAKER, FBI - JOHN MILLER, DOJ -
ALICE FISHER AND CARL ALEXANDRE

E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/21/2018
TAGS: PREL PGOV KCRM KCOR BU
SUBJECT: REFORMING THE BULGARIAN MINISTRY OF INTERIOR

REF: SOFIA 229

Classified By: Ambassador John Beyrle for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)


1. (C) Prime Minister Stanishev's National Security Advisor
Petko
Sertov told us that the PM wants to reform the Interior
Ministry and has requested direct, expert advice from the USG
on the best way forward. We must seize this unparalleled
opportunity to shape the reform of what has been a
chronically dysfunctional and corrupt Ministry.
ACTION REQUEST: We request Washington identify an expert or
experts to travel to Sofia for initial consultations with the
GOB. The Ambassador will meet the Prime Minister May 8; we
need to be able to offer concrete details on our response to
his request, including dates for the experts, travel to
Sofia, before then.


2. (C) USG expertise was instrumental in shaping the
creation of DANS (the State Agency for State Security)
earlier this year. The PM obviously found that exercise
useful, and worth repeating as he tackles MOI reform. The
start-up of DANS intensified the need to reform the MOI,
since many MOI responsibilities were transferred or altered.
The government had not yet moved forward on new MOI
legislation when the scandal revolving around now-resigned
Interior Minister Petkov overwhelmed the entire process. To
pick up on the Prime Minister,s request for U.S. expertise,
we see consultations focusing on:

-- legislative and legal framework and mandate;
-- institutional, leadership and organizational structure;
-- relationship with DANS and/or other government national
security organizations;
-- relationship with the prosecution service;
-- external and internal safeguards, internal checks and
balances; and
-- personnel system and professional development.

The PM and Sertov are especially focused on three key areas
that have huge political and operational
importance:
-- establishing a professional ethos;
-- where best to base technical and surveillance
competencies, authorities, and responsibilities;
-- how best to overhaul (reform, or disband) the Main
Directorate for
Combating Organized Crime (GDBOP),which is compromised and
wholly ineffective.


3. (C) Following the experts, initial consultations with
Sertov, we will have a better sense of how we can design the
most appropriate
specific programs to address operational requirements.
Follow-up discussions will be required, but our experience
with the DANS consultations showed much of this work can be
handled between Washington and Sofia with the Embassy as
intermediary. The DANS success also shows that this is a
serious request, and the GOB will adopt many of our
recommendations, giving us a unique chance to promote our own
interests by promoting serious improvements in Bulgaria,s
law enforcement capacity and execution.
Beyrle