Plamen Tonchev nominated again as head of Bulgaria's DANS agency

The Bulgarian cabinet has put forward former DANS chief Plamen Tonchev for a new term as head of the State Agency for National Security (DANS). The nomination was formally submitted to the National Assembly, where the Committee on Internal Security and Public Order will hold a hearing to assess Tonchev’s candidacy. Tonchev, who previously led DANS from May 2021 to May 2025, argued against recent government proposals to dissolve the Commission on Files, describing the move as detrimental to state security. He emphasized that his candidacy is a cabinet proposal, not a personal application, and that he remains needed for the agency. The hearing follows a debated amendment that removed the president’s final say in appointing the DANS chief, a change previously contested by President Rumen Radev before the Constitutional Court. The parliamentary vote to open the selection process recorded 147 votes in favour, with parties split over the appointment.