BULGARIA: UPDATED HOST GOVERNMENT PRACTICES -

UNCLAS SOFIA 000235 SIPDIS FOR S/CT HILLARY BATJER JOHNSON FOR S/CT PAUL SCHULTZ FOR NCTC FOR DHS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: KVPR PTER PREL PGOV ASEC KHLS BU SUBJECT: BULGARIA: UPDATED HOST GOVERNMENT PRACTICES - INFORMATION COLLECTION, SCREENING, AND SHARING REF: A. 07 SOFIA 001284 ¶B. STATE 32287 ¶1. (U) This cable provides an unclassified update on Bulgarian Government practices on information collection, screening, and sharing since the classified November 2007 baseline cable (See REF A). Responses correspond to questions listed in REF B. ¶2. (SBU) In December 2007, the Bulgarian Parliament approved the establishment of the State Agency for National Security (DANS). DANS legislation came into force on January 1, 2008 and combined the National Security Service (NSS) and the State Agency for Protection of Classified Information, both previously part of the Ministry of Interior (MOI); the Military Counterintelligence Organization, previously part of the Defense Ministry; the Financial Intelligence Agency (now the Financial Intelligence Directorate (FID)),previously part of the Finance Ministry. In addition to its primary mandate of counterterrorsim and counterintelligence, DANS is also charged with fighting serious organized crime, money laundering, and high-level corruption. After a promising start in early 2008, DANS's reputation rapidly declined and hit a low in September and October following a series of scandals and apparent politicization of high-profile disputes that led to the dismissal and resignation of several senior intelligence officers. ¶3. (SBU) A: TRAVELER INFORMATION COLLECTION: The National Security Service (NSS) has been absorbed into DANS. No other updates. ¶4. (SBU) B: WATCHLISTING: The Financial Intelligence Agency is now the Financial Intelligence Directorate (FID). According to contacts from the FID, Bulgaria does not maintain its own "national" list of terrorists (REF A). The FID remains vigilant against terrorist financing and continues to cooperate with the USG on identifying and investigating terrorist assets. The FID reliably distributes lists of individuals and organizations linked to terrorism to all banks in Bulgaria, the Ministry of Interior, Customs, and Border Police. Bulgaria's General Police Directorate for Combating Organized Crime (GDBOP) is now the Directorate for Organized Crime (BOP in Bulgarian). Bulgaria has yet to accede to the Schengen Agreement. ¶5. (SBU) C: BIOMETRIC COLLECTION: No updates to report. ¶6. (SBU) D: BORDER CONTROL AND SCREENING: No updates to report. ¶7. (SBU) E: PASSPORTS: The Bulgarian Government has yet to begin issuing biometric passports. In March 2009, the Bulgarian government signed a deal with Siemens-Bulgaria to produce new biometric passports. These passports will include biometric data and will gradually replace old passports as they expire. The new passports were to be issued in the next six months. In April 2009, the Supreme Administrative Court (SAC) froze the deal after three competitors contested the selection of Siemens-Bulgaria, stipulating the company had an unfair advantage. The agreement is now under review, with the possibility that it can be validated or that a completely new tender will be required, further delaying production of the biometric passports. ¶8. (SBU) F: FRAUD DETECTION: No updates to report. ¶9. (SBU) G: PRIVACY AND DATA SECURITY: No updates to report. ¶10. (SBU) H: IDENTIFYING APPROPRIATE PARTNERS: No updates to report. McEldowney