Bulgarian Parliament accepted on December 4, in second reading, the proposal for a State Agency for National Security (SANS), Bulgarian National Radio (BNR) reported. Among the functions of the new agency would be to exercise control over the stay of foreigners in Bulgaria.

BNR reported that SANS would organise and implement operative-discovery and operative-technical activities of surveillance and control, of people, objects and activities.

The agency would implement surveillance, discovery, reaction to and prevention of planned, prepared or realised encroachment upon national security. Tasks would include control to the functioning of the national system for the protection of classified information, protection of communication and information systems, as well as the safeguarding the security of objects and activities, deemed strategic for the country.

SANS would execute its tasks through information analysis, forecasts, control, coordination and methodological activities based on its own information, and that of other state institutions, of relevance to national safety, Members of Parliament decided.