Russian intelligence suspected to have worked against the good relations between Bulgaria and North Macedonia

The Specialised Prosecutor's Office started a probe into the State Agency for National Security (SANS), investigating employees of the agency suspected of espionage in favour of the Russian intelligence services. According to BNT sources, counter-intelligence officers also participated in the raid, investigating their own colleagues.

A pre-trial proceeding for espionage in favour of the Russian Federation was initiated at the Specialised Prosecutor's Office on a signal from SANS.

This is the second such scandal within a month. On March 2, counter-intelligence uncovered a reserve general who was again spying for the Kremlin. In response, Bulgarian authorities expelled two Russian diplomats. Today's scandal prompted comments from President Rumen Radev and Prime Minister Kiril Petkov.

"SANS has a strong immune system and I think they are actively working not to allow any breach in the system, in terms of spying activities," President Rumen Radev said.

"I have some information, but I don't want to talk about these investigations before I know more. What we are investigating at the moment, and SANS is working hard, is quite a large network of agents in Bulgaria - a Russian network - which we see at the moment working for various interests. Part of what has been reported to me already is that we have Russian agents who have been working against the good relations between Bulgaria and the Republic of North Macedonia. The Russian interest has been focused on there being no European future for the Western Balkans," Bulgarian Prime Minister, Kiril Petkov, said.