Classified Information Protection

The establishment of SCIS is in connection with the Classified Information Protection Act promulgated 30th April 2002. This Law, which was new by its nature and contents, introduced for the first time the classified information as a term and established the legal framework for its protection as part of the necessary changes following the dynamics of time related to the access to information. This is a common term which involves the information representing state secret, official secret and foreign classified information.

The need for protection of classified information is raised form its importance for the national security of the Republic of Bulgaria. Facts and circumstances are protected the free access to which could harm the territorial integrity, the independence and the sovereignty of the state. 

For this reason it is necessary to find a balance between the free access to information and the interests of the state and the society for protection of national security. The limitation of the access to classified information aims at preventing the threat or the harm to the interests of the Republic of Bulgaria related to the sovereignty, independence, territorial integrity, the defence, the constitutionally-established order, the foreign policy and the international relations.

The protection of these interests through the protection of classified information guarantees the democratic functioning of the state and the civil institutions.

The policy of the Republic of Bulgaria on the protection of classified information is carried out by a specifically established authority – the State Commission on Information Security, established by a Decree of the Council of Ministers No.262 dated 15th November 2002.

SCIS is a collegiate body comprised of 5 Members including Chairperson and Vice-Chairperson who are appointed with a Decision of the Council of Ministers for the term of 5 years by a proposal of the Prime Minister.

With a Decision No. 744 of the Council of Ministers dated 8th November 2002 the first Management Board of the Commission was appointed as follows:

Tsveta Markova – Chairperson
Orhan Ismailov – Vice-Chairperson

Members:

• Mariya Mateva
• Mariya Vidolova
• Veselin Tselkov

In 2007 the first five-year mandate of SCIS concluded and with its Decision dated 31st October the Council of Ministers appointed a new one as follows:

Tsveta Markova – Chairperson
Zahari Zahariev – Vice-Chairperson

Members:

• Iliya Ganev
• Mithat Mehmed
• Mariya Vidolova (until October 2010)
• Sergey Damyanov (as of 6th October 2010

After the expiration of the mandate on 16th November 2012 by a Decision of the Council of Ministers new Management Board of SCIS was appointed as follows:

Boris Dimitrov - Chairperson
Vasil Rizov – Vice-Chairperson

Members:

• Sergey Damyanov
• Ivan Ivanov
• Petar Petrov

With the adoption of the Law on amending and supplementing the Ministry of Interior Act (State Gazette, 81/2016) Specialized Courier Service Directorate has moved from the Ministry of Interior to the State Commission on Information Security as of 1st January 2017.

The directorate has been established as Feldeger-post service with Decree of the Council of Ministers number П-1224 of October 2, 1951 for the transfer and safeguarding of information which is state secret.

On 24th November 2017 the Council of Ministers appointed the new Board of Members of SCIS as follows:

Boris Dimitrov - Chairperson
Ivan Pavlov – Deputy Chairperson

Members:

• Simeon Nikolov
• Aleksi Aleksiev
• Ivo Velikov

With a Decision of the Council of Ministers of the Republic of Bulgaria, dated 05.01.2022, for the position of Chairperson of SCIS is appointed Tsvyatko Georgiev Georgiev.