BULGARIA'S EFFORTS TO IMPLEMENT THE CYBERCRIME CONVENTION

UNCLAS SOFIA 000534 EUR/NCE FOR THOMAS YEAGER L/LEI FOR DAVID BUCHHOLZ INL/C FOR JAMES VIGIL SENSITIVE SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: EINT KCRM KJUS PGOV PREL SUBJECT: BULGARIA'S EFFORTS TO IMPLEMENT THE CYBERCRIME CONVENTION REF: A. SECSTATE 77138 ¶B. SOFIA 00522 ¶1. (SBU) This cable provides post's input on Bulgaria's implementation of the Council of Europe's (CoE) Convention on Cybercrime as requested in reftel A, which Bulgaria signed in 2001 and ratified in 2005. Bulgaria's legal framework largely addresses the Convention's provisions. The scope and scale of cybercrime in Bulgaria is broadening, with most cybercrimes involving intellectual property right (IPR) violations as described in reftel B. Bulgaria hosts some of the most popular peer-to-peer/torrent sites in the world. ¶2. (SBU) The Ministry of Interior (MOI) Cybercrime Unit has successfully pursued intellectual property offenses, but the judicial system is weak in prosecuting and convicting Cybercrime offenders. The Cybercrime Unit has been particularly successful in pursuing peer-to-peer/torrent internet piracy, which accounts for most of the IPR crime in Bulgaria, as well as Central and Eastern Europe. Given the enormity of the online piracy problem and the rapidly increasing internet use/bandwidth in the country, Post advocates that the MOI expand the Cybercrime unit as part of its restructuring and reform efforts currently underway. With only 12 officers, the Cybercrime Unit lacks the officers and resources it needs to vigorously pursue cyber criminals. ¶3. (SBU) The Department of Justice (DOJ) Regional IPR Coordinator is working with police, prosecutors, and industry representatives to improve the weaknesses in the prosecution of IPR-related cybercrime. DOJ is also continuing to offer trainings for police and prosecutors in this area. KARAGIANNIS