The US reports on Bulgaria’s readiness to fight terrorism - report

The creation of State Agency for National Security (SANS) is the key point in the US State Department Country Reports on Terrorism in its section on Bulgaria. The report was published on April 30 2008.

The report’s main concern is how efficient the Financial Intelligence Agency (FIA) would be under the control of SANS, which started work in January 2008.

Prime Minister Sergei Stanishev presented his idea about SANS in May 2007 as his response to high public expectations of a successful fight against organized crime.

In late 2007, as part of legislation that created SANS, the FIA was transferred from the Finance Ministry to SANS the US report said.

“The legislation lacked clarity on the independent and investigatory powers of the FIA, potentially complicating its Egmont compliance and undermining its ability to execute its mission and uphold its international commitments. Aware of the issue, Bulgarian officials were considering additional legislative and regulatory measures at year’s end.”

As in previous years, the US stated its support for the work of FIA in 2007.

“FIA remained vigilant against terrorist financing and cooperated with the US on identifying and investigating terrorist assets. The FIA was active in efforts against all mandated UNSCR-designated terrorists and terrorist organizations, and cooperated on USG-designated individuals and organizations.

FIA provided feedback, including information on the response level of Bulgaria's banks, to the US Treasury Department's Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FINCEN).

In 2006, the Bulgarian Parliament passed amendments that further strengthened the FIA's investigative powers, enabling it to obtain bank information without a court order or a Suspicious Transaction Report (STR).

The report acknowledged the behavior of Bulgaria’s religious leaders who “spoke out strongly against terrorism”.

In general the report was positive about Bulgaria’s contribution in the fight against terrorism. “The Bulgarian government continued its high level of cooperation with the US in preventing acts of terrorism against US citizens in Bulgaria and elsewhere”.

On April 25 2008 a new US department of justice (USDOJ) report cited Bulgaria as an example of how international organised criminals corrupt and seek to corrupt public officials in the US and abroad.

Bulgaria’s name featured as the example of “Threat 7: International organised criminals corrupt and seek to corrupt public officials in the United States and abroad”.

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