There are no tools for democratic control over the services. This was noted by Filip Gunev, former Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs, to the Bulgarian National Radio.
This is also the reason why the appointments of their leaders are political, he explained.
But in order to create the necessary control mechanisms, political vision and time are required, Gunev explained.
"The systems for control over services and police in Western Europe are better developed. Completely different rules for accountability. At the Council of Ministers level, there are relevant structures that even exercise a form of operational control. There is no such instrument in Bulgaria. Whoever is the prime minister, the only way to control the services is by appointing very loyal people.
Whoever they propose, they will say that they are someone's man. Denev has doubts about the proposed candidate, that at certain moments he fulfilled some political will. Currently, Peevski and Borisov are in the coalition, whoever comes will have to fulfill their will. This is how the system was invented and this is right - whoever governs should be able to appoint and manage his own services".
The Parliamentary Committee on Internal Security and Public Order rejected President Radev's veto on two laws - on special intelligence means and on the State Agency "Intelligence". They change the model for appointing heads of these services. This becomes entirely the prerogative of the Council of Ministers and the parliament.
"I wouldn't say that there will be any radical change. And so far, the proposal has always come from the ruling party. It has always been their person, it could not have been a joint appointment.
The process will not be much more transparent. The rules that were adopted yesterday in the Internal Affairs Committee clearly give us a signal about this.
The parliamentary election is not bad, but if it were done with a qualified majority and with some rules for hearings, in which there is a form of competition".
I think that SANS will receive investigative powers, the former Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs predicted.
"In the best case, it will receive its old powers to investigate levels of corruption that threaten national security.
If someone wants to abuse investigations, the "Ministry of Internal Affairs" tool is always on hand. There was no need to create an Anti-Corruption Commission".