Ministry of Defence (Bulgaria)

The Ministry of Defence (Template:Langx, Ministerstvo na otbranata) of Bulgaria is the ministry charged with regulating the Bulgarian Armed Forces. The current Minister of Defence is Atanas Zapryanov.

The present building of the ministry is among the finest examples of the Bulgarian modern architecture from the middle of 20th century. It was designed by the famous Bulgarian architectural team Vasilyov-Tsolov and completed in the period 1939–45.

History

The Ministry was created in 1879. Between 1911 and 1947 it was called Ministry of War (Министерство на войната, Ministerstvo na voynata) and from 1947 to 1990 it bore the name Ministry of People's Defence (Министерство на народната отбрана, Ministerstvo na narodnata otbrana).

Structure

Political Cabinet

The political cabinet assists the Minister of Defence in formulating and developing particular decisions for carrying out governmental policy, and in representing that policy to society. It consists of the deputy ministers, the head of the Minister's office, the parliamentary secretary and the Chief of the Public Relations unit. The work of the cabinet is assisted by experts. There are currently two Deputy Ministers serving office: Ivan Ivanov and Spas Panchev.

Secretary General

File:BASA-VD-1217-2-12-153.jpg

The Ministry of Defence in October 1930 - the decorations are for the wedding of Boris III with Giovanna of Savoy. The then name Министерство на войната (Ministry of War) can be seen above.

The Secretary General carries out the administrative leadership of the Ministry of Defence by implementing the legal orders issued by the Minister of Defence; it also leads, coordinates, and controls the functioning of the Ministry of Defence with respect to the strict observation of the laws and the sub-law acts, and reports to the Minister of Defence on the activities of the Ministry of Defence; The Secretary General:

• leads, coordinates and controls the circulation of documentation;
• manages the accountability and the control over the preparation of orders and guidance of the Minister of Defence;
• guides the process on the automation of the management of the Ministry of Defence;
• organizes and is responsible for the keeping and managing of the real estate and portable items provided to and used by the Ministry of Defence.
• approves the expenditures necessary for managing the Ministry of Defence;
• develops the draft of the budget of the Ministry of Defence in its part related to the means necessary for the administrative support of the activities of the Ministry of Defence;
• keeps track of legal and appropriate spending of the financial means and materiel provided for the Ministry of Defence;
• prepares an annual report on the status of the administrative activities in the Ministry of Defence, which he presents to the Minister of the State's Administration after the report is approved by the Minister of Defence.

The Minister of Defence's job within the Secretary General is that:

• he is responsible for the checking regime and security in the building of the Ministry of Defence;
• he fulfils other tasks as well which are assigned to him by the Minister of Defence

Inspectorate

The Inspectorate to the Ministry of Defence provides the act of fulfilling the control functions on the part of the Minister of Defence in carrying out the state policy in the sphere of defence. The Inspectorate examines and investigates with respect to:

• observation of the laws and of the orders issued by the Minister of Defence;
• observation of the order and discipline in the troops;
• management and assigning of financial means and materiel;
• personnel management;
• preservation of the natural environment;
• other checks assigned to the inspectorate by the Minister of Defence.

The Inspectorate is directly subordinate to the Minister of Defence and is headed by the Chief Inspector. Additionally, it studies the suggestions, signals, litigations and requests filed by physical persons or legal entities to the Minister of Defence and prepares answers to the above-mentioned. The organization of the activities of the inspectorate, the types of the checks as well as the conditions and the order of how to conduct them, are determined by the Minister of Defence.

General Administration

The general Administration of the Ministry of Defence is organized into directorates "Administrative and Financial Service" and "Financial-Economic Activities".

Specialized Administration

The specialized administration of the Ministry of Defence is organized into eleven directorates. The specialized administration assists and provides for the realization of the rights of the Minister of Defence and of the deputy ministers of defence within the framework of the rights delegated to them and the functions they are assigned.

Directorates:

• Defence policy directorate
• Defence planning and programming directorate
• International cooperation directorate
• Budget planning and management directorate
• Personnel policy directorate
• Financial control activities directorate
• Procurement management directorate
• Military infrastructure directorate
• Armaments and equipment policy directorate
• Legal and regulatory affairs (LRA) directorate
• Military Standardization, Quality and Codification Directorate

Officer on Security of Information

The officer on the security of information is directly subordinate to the Minister of Defence and fulfils tasks which are assigned to him by virtue of the Law on the protection of classified information and by the sub-law acts on the enforcement of the above-mentioned law. In carrying out his functions, the officer on the security of information is assisted by a unit working on the security of the information.

Administrative Structures subordinated to the Ministry of Defence

Military information service

This functions as a service which:

• is a legal entity supported by the budget - it is a secondary budget credit holder to the Minister of Defence; and
• acquires, processes, analyzes, keeps and provides information in the interest of defence and the national security of the Republic of Bulgaria.

This organizational structure of the service is approved by the Minister of Defence and its activities are defined by Regulations approved by the council of ministers.

Security - military police and military counterintelligence service

Its functions are as follows The basic tasks of "Security - military police and military counterintelligence" service is to maintain the order and security in the Ministry of Defence and in the Bulgarian army. Parallel to that it fulfils the following functions:

• it provides for the protection of the Ministry of Defence and the Bulgarian army from activities of foreign special services, organizations and persons directed against the security of the Ministry of Defence and the Bulgarian army;
• carries out activities aimed at maintaining order in the Ministry of Defence and in the Bulgarian army for the prevention, revealing and investigation of crimes committed in the Ministry of Defence and in the Bulgarian army with a view to finding out the perpetrators;
• pr

• provides for the controforover the observation of the rules for movement on the rceds by the drivers of transport vehicles and organized groups of servicemen;
• conducts activities pertaining to collecting, processing, storage, analyzing, using and providing information related to the maintenance of order and security in the Ministry of Defence and in the Bulgarian army.

The structure of the "Security - military police and military counterintelligence" service is built on a territorial principle in accordance with the administrative-territorial division of the Republic of Bulgaria and with the existing organizational and positional structure of the Bulgarian army.

List of ministers

No.	Name (Birth–Death)	Portrait	Took office	Left office	Political party
Ministers of Army (1879–1912)
style="background:Template:Party color; color:black;"| 1	Pyotr Parensov (1843–1914)	File:Gen Parensov.jpg	17 July 1879	3 April 1880	Imperial Russian Army
style="background:Template:Party color; color:black;"| 2	Paul von Plehwe (1850–1916)	File:Pavel Plehve.jpg	3 April 1880	15 April 1880	Imperial Russian Army
style="background:Template:Party color; color:black;"| 3	Alexander Timler (1835–?)	File:Aleksander Timler.jpg	15 April 1880	17 April 1880	Imperial Russian Army
style="background:Template:Party color; color:black;"| 4	Johan Casimir Ehrnrooth (1833–1913)	File:Johann Casimir Ehrnrooth.jpg	17 April 1880	13 July 1881	Imperial Russian Army
style="background:Template:Party color; color:black;"| 5	Vladimir Krylov (1830–1888)	File:Vladimir Vasilyevich Krylov.jpg	13 July 1881	24 April 1882	Imperial Russian Army
style="background:Template:Party color; color:black;"| 6	Ivan Lesovoy (1835–?)	File:No image.png	24 April 1882	3 July 1882	Imperial Russian Army
style="background:Template:Party color; color:black;"| 7	Alexander Kaulbars (1844–1925)	File:Kaulbarsav.jpg	3 July 1882	19 September 1883	Imperial Russian Army
style="background:Template:Party color; color:black;"| 8	Aleksandr Roediger (1853–1920)	File:Alexander Rediger.jpeg	19 September 1883	26 October 1883	Imperial Russian Army
style="background:Template:Party color; color:black;"| 9	Viktor Kotelnikov (?–?)	File:No image.png	26 October 1883	10 February 1884	Imperial Russian Army
style="background:Template:Party color; color:black;"| 10	Mikhail Cantacuzène (1840–1891)	File:Mikhail Kantakuzen.jpg	10 February 1884	7 March 1885	Imperial Russian Army
style="background:Template:Party color; color:black;"| 11	Ivan Weymarn (1840–1891)	File:Weymarn, Ivan Ivanovich.jpg	7 March 1885	22 April 1885	Imperial Russian Army
style="background:Template:Party color; color:black;"| (10)	Mikhail Cantacuzène (1840–1891) (2nd time)	File:Mikhail Kantakuzen.jpg	22 April 1885	22 September 1885	Imperial Russian Army
style="background:Template:Party color; color:black;"| 12	Konstantin Nikiforov (1856–1891)	File:Konstantin Nikiforov.jpg	22 September 1885	24 August 1886	Bulgarian Army
style="background:Template:Party color; color:black;"| 13	Olimpiy Panov (1852–1887)	File:Olimpiy Panov.jpg	24 August 1886	28 August 1886	Bulgarian Army
style="background:Template:Party color; color:black;"| 14	Danail Nikolaev (1852–1942)	File:Danail-Nikolaev-portrait.jpg	28 August 1886	10 July 1887	Bulgarian Army
style="background:Template:Party color; color:black;"| 15	Racho Petrov (1861–1942)	File:Racho Petrov.jpg	10 July 1887	1 September 1887	Bulgarian Army
style="background:Template:Party color; color:black;"| 16	Sava Mutkurov (1852–1891)	File:Mutkurovsava.jpg	1 September 1887	16 February 1891	Bulgarian Army
style="background:Template:Party color; color:black;"| 17	Mihail Savov (1857–1928)	File:Savoff.jpg	16 February 1891	27 April 1894	Bulgarian Army
style="background:Template:Party color; color:black;"| (15)	Racho Petrov (1861–1942) (2nd time)	File:Racho Petrov.jpg	27 April 1894	29 November 1896	Bulgarian Army
style="background:Template:Party color; color:black;"| 18	Nikola Ivanov (1861–1940)	File:General Nikola Ivanov.jpg	29 November 1896	30 January 1899	Bulgarian Army
style="background:Template:Party color; color:black;"| 19	Stefan Paprikov (1858–1920)	File:S.paprikov.jpg	30 January 1899	31 March 1903	Bulgarian Army
style="background:Template:Party color; color:black;"| (17)	Mihail Savov (1857–1928) (2nd time)	File:Savoff.jpg	31 March 1903	4 May 1907	Bulgarian Army
style="background:Template:Party color; color:black;"| (14)	Danail Nikolaev (1852–1942) (2nd time)	File:Danail-Nikolaev-portrait.jpg	4 May 1907	29 March 1911	Bulgarian Army
style="background:Template:Party color; color:black;"| 20	Nikifor Nikiforov (1858–1935)	File:Nikifor Nikiforov 1895.jpg	29 March 1911	14 January 1912	Bulgarian Army
Ministers of War (1912–1947)
style="background:Template:Party color; color:black;"| 20	Nikifor Nikiforov (1858–1935)	File:Nikifor Nikiforov 1895.jpg	14 January 1912	14 June 1913	Bulgarian Army
style="background:Template:Party color; color:black;"| 21	Stiliyan Kovachev (1860–1939)	File:Gen. Kowatchew (i.e., Kovachev) LCCN2014700211.jpg	14 June 1913	11 July 1913	Bulgarian Army
style="background:Template:Party color; color:black;"| 22	Georgi Vazov (1860–1934)	File:BASA-20-1-239-15-Georgi Vazov.jpg	11 July 1913	4 September 1913	Bulgarian Army
style="background:Template:Party color; color:black;"| 23	Kliment Boyadzhiev (1861–1933)	File:Bulgaria General Boyadjiew.jpg	4 September 1913	14 September 1914	Bulgarian Army
style="background:Template:Party color; color:black;"| 24	Ivan Fichev (1860–1931)	File:Ivan Fichev.jpg	14 September 1914	19 August 1915	Bulgarian Army
style="background:Template:Party color; color:black;"| 25	Nikola Zhekov (1864–1949)	File:Nikola Todorov Zhekov.jpg	19 August 1915	4 October 1915	Bulgarian Army
style="background:Template:Party color; color:black;"| 26	Kalin Naydenov (1865–1925)	File:Калин Найденов.jpg	4 October 1915	21 June 1918	Bulgarian Army
style="background:Template:Party color; color:black;"| 27	Sava Savov (1865–1945)	File:Sava Savov (general).jpg	21 June 1918	28 November 1918	Bulgarian Army
style="background:Template:Party color; color:black;"| 28	Andrey Lyapchev (1866–1933)	File:Andrey Lyapchev 1930.jpg	28 November 1918	7 May 1919	Democratic Party
style="background:Template:Party color; color:white;"| 29	Mihail Madzharov (1854–1944)	File:M.madjarov.jpg	7 May 1919	6 October 1919	People's Party
style="background:Template:Party color; color:black;"| 30	Aleksandar Stamboliyski (1879–1923)	File:A Stamboliyski.jpg	6 October 1919	24 June 1921	Bulgarian Agrarian National Union
style="background:Template:Party color; color:black;"| 31	Aleksandar Dimitrov (1878–1921)	File:BASA 525K 1 1077 3 Alexander Dimitrov, Praga.jpg	24 June 1921	22 October 1921	Bulgarian Agrarian National Union
style="background:Template:Party color; color:black;"| (30)	Aleksandar Stamboliyski (1879–1923) (2nd time)	File:A Stamboliyski.jpg	22 October 1921	9 November 1921	Bulgarian Agrarian National Union
style="background:Template:Party color; color:black;"| 32	Konstantin Tomov (1888–1935)	File:Konstantin Tomov.jpg	9 November 1921	9 February 1923	Bulgarian Agrarian National Union
style="background:Template:Party color; color:black;"| (30)	Aleksandar Stamboliyski (1879–1923) (3rd time)	File:A Stamboliyski.jpg	9 February 1923	12 March 1923	Bulgarian Agrarian National Union
style="background:Template:Party color; color:black;"| 33	Konstantin Muraviev (1893–1965)	File:Konstantin Muraviev.jpg	9 February 1923	9 June 1923	Bulgarian Agrarian National Union
style="background:Template:Party color; color:white;"| 34	Aleksandar Tsankov (1879–1959)	File:Altsankov.jpeg	9 June 1923	10 June 1923	Democratic Alliance
style="background:Template:Party color; color:black;"| 35	Ivan Valkov (1875–1962)	File:BASA-1301K-2-330-1-Ivan Valkov.jpeg	10 June 1923	11 January 1929	Bulgarian Army
style="background:Template:Party color; color:black;"| 36	Nikola Bakardzhiev (1881–1954)	File:BASA-373K-1-710-1-Nikola Bakardzhiev, 1931-1932.jpeg	11 January 1929	31 January 1931	Bulgarian Army
style="background:Template:Party color; color:black;"| 37	Aleksandar Kisyov (1879–1964)	File:BASA-373K-1-710-1-Aleksandar Kisyov, 1931-1932.jpeg	31 January 1931	9 May 1934	Bulgarian Army
style="background:Template:Party color; color:black;"| 38	Anastas Vatev (1881–1967)	File:Anastas Vatev.jpg	9 May 1934	19 May 1934	Bulgarian Army
style="background:Template:Party color; color:black;"| 39	Pencho Zlatev (1881–1948)	File:Pencho Zlatev.png	19 May 1934	21 April 1935	Bulgarian Army
style="background:Template:Party color; color:black;"| 40	Stefan Tsanev (1881–1944)	File:Stefan Tsanev.jpg	21 April 1935	23 November 1935	Bulgarian Army
style="background:Template:Party color; color:black;"| 41	Hristo Lukov (1888–1943)	File:Hristo Nikolov Lukov.jpg	23 November 1935	24 January 1938	Bulgarian Army
style="background:Template:Party color; color:black;"| 42	Teodosi Daskalov (1888–1945)	File:BASA-3K-15-250-6-Teodosi Daskalov (cropped).jpg	24 January 1938	11 April 1942	Bulgarian Army
style="background:Template:Party color; color:black;"| 43	Nikola Mihov (1891–1945)	File:BASA-3K-15-250-9-Nikola Mihov (cropped).jpg	11 April 1942	14 September 1943	Bulgarian Army
style="background:Template:Party color; color:black;"| 44	Rusi Rusev (1887–1945)	File:Rusi Rusev.jpg	14 September 1943	2 September 1944	Bulgarian Army
style="background:Template:Party color; color:black;"| 45	Ivan Marinov (1896–1979)	File:Ivan Marinov.jpg	2 September 1944	9 September 1944	Bulgarian Army
style="background:Template:Party color; color:white;"| 46	Damyan Velchev (1883–1954)	File:Damyan Velchev.jpg	9 September 1944	25 September 1946	Zveno
style="background:Template:Party color; color:white;"| 47	Kimon Georgiev (1882–1969)	File:K.georgiev.jpg	25 September 1946	22 November 1946	Zveno
style="background:Template:Party color; color:white;"| 48	Georgi Damyanov (1892–1958)	File:No image.svg	22 November 1946	11 December 1947	Bulgarian Communist Party
Ministers of People's Defence (1947–1990)
style="background:Template:Party color; color:white;"| 48	Georgi Damyanov (1892–1958)	File:No image.svg	11 December 1947	27 May 1950	Bulgarian Communist Party
style="background:Template:Party color; color:white;"| 49	Petar Panchevski (1902–1982)	File:No image.svg	27 May 1950	9 June 1958	Bulgarian Communist Party
style="background:Template:Party color; color:white;"| 50	Ivan Mihailov (1897–1982)	File:No image.svg	9 June 1958	17 March 1962	Bulgarian Communist Party
style="background:Template:Party color; color:white;"| 51	Dobri Dzhurov (1916–2002)	File:Dobri Dzhurov.jpg	17 March 1962	22 November 1990	Bulgarian Communist Party
style="background:Template:Party color; color:white;"| 52	Yordan Mutafchiev (1940–2015)	File:No image.svg	22 November 1990	20 December 1990	Bulgarian Socialist Party
Ministers of Defence (1990–present)
style="background:Template:Party color; color:white;"| 52	Yordan Mutafchiev (1940–2015)	File:No image.svg	20 December 1990	8 November 1991	Bulgarian Socialist Party
style="background:Template:Party color; color:white;"| 53	Dimitar Ludzhev (born 1950)	File:No image.svg	8 November 1991	20 May 1992	Union of Democratic Forces
style="background:Template:Party color; color:black;"| 54	Aleksandar Staliyski (1925–2004)	File:No image.svg	20 May 1992	30 December 1992	Democratic Party
style="background:Template:Party color; color:black;"| 55	Valentin Aleksandrov (1946–2008)	File:No image.svg	30 December 1992	17 October 1994	Independent
style="background:Template:Party color; color:black;"| 56	Boyko Noev (born 1964)	File:Boyko Noev talks with Donald Rumsfeld 2001.jpg	17 October 1994	26 January 1995	Independent
style="background:Template:Party color; color:white;"| 57	Dimitar Pavlov (1937–2019)	File:No image.svg	26 January 1995	12 February 1997	Bulgarian Socialist Party
style="background:Template:Party color; color:white;"| 58	Georgi Ananiev (1950–2021)	File:Georgi Ananiev.jpg	12 February 1997	21 December 1999	Union of Democratic Forces
style="background:Template:Party color; color:white;"| (56)	Boyko Noev (born 1964) (2nd time)	File:Boyko Noev talks with Donald Rumsfeld 2001.jpg	21 December 1999	24 July 2001	Union of Democratic Forces
style="background:Template:Party color; color:black;"| 59	Nikolay Svinarov (born 1958)		24 July 2001	17 August 2005	National Movement Simeon II
style="background:Template:Party color; color:black;"| 60	Veselin Bliznakov (born 1944)	File:Veselin Bliznakov 070614-D-7203T-008 0WDIC.jpg	17 August 2005	24 April 2008	National Movement Simeon II
style="background:Template:Party color; color:black;"| 61	Nikolai Tsonev (born 1956)	File:No image.svg	24 April 2008	27 July 2009	National Movement for Stability and Progress
style="background:Template:Party color; color:white;"| 62	Nickolay Mladenov (born 1972)	File:Nikolay Mladenov July 4, 2012.jpg	27 July 2009	27 January 2010	GERB
style="background:Template:Party color; color:white;"| 63	Anyu Angelov (born 1942)	File:Bulgarian defense minister prepares to visit USS Enterprise. (8096711064).jpg	27 January 2010	13 March 2013	GERB
style="background:Template:Party color; color:black;"| 64	Todor Tagarev (born 1960)	File:Todor Tagarev.jpg	13 March 2013	29 May 2013	Independent
style="background:Template:Party color; color:white;"| 65	Angel Naydenov (born 1958)		29 May 2013	6 August 2014	Bulgarian Socialist Party
style="background:Template:Party color; color:black;"| 66	Velizar Shalamanov (born 1961)	File:Velizar Shalamanov.jpg	6 August 2014	7 November 2014	Independent
style="background-color:Template:Party color; color:white;"| 67	Nikolay Nenchev (born 1966)		7 November 2014	27 January 2017	Reformist Bloc
style="background:Template:Party color; color:black;"| 68	Stefan Yanev (born 1960)	File:Stefan Yanev.jpg	27 January 2017	4 May 2017	Independent
style="background-color:Template:Party color; color:white;"| 69	Krasimir Karakachanov (born 1965)	File:Krasimir Karakachanov 2017-12-18.jpg	4 May 2017	12 May 2021	United Patriots
style="background:Template:Party color; color:black;"| 70	Georgi Panayotov (born 1968)	File:Georgi Panayotov (official).jpg	12 May 2021	13 December 2021	Independent
style="background:Template:Party color; color:black;"| 71	Stefan Yanev (born 1960)	File:Stefan Yanev.jpg	13 December 2021	1 March 2022	Independent
style="background:Template:Party color; color:black;"| 72	Dragomir Zakov (born 1975)	File:Dragomir Zakov.jpg	1 March 2022	2 August 2022	Independent
style="background:Template:Party color; color:black;"| 73	Dimitar Stoyanov (born 1968)	File:Dimitar Stoyanov (minister).jpg	2 August 2022	6 June 2023	Independent
style="background:Template:Party color; color:black;"| 74	Todor Tagarev (born 1960)	File:Todor Tagarev.jpg	6 June 2023	9 April 2024	Independent
style="background:Template:Party color; color:black;"| 75	Atanas Zapryanov (born 1950)		9 April 2024	Incumbent	Independent

External links

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