The State Intelligence Agency (SIA) is a security service, which obtains, processes, analyzes and provides the state leadership with intelligence, assessments, analyses and prognoses, related to the national security, interests and priorities of the Republic of Bulgaria.
SIA is part of the intelligence community, defined in the National Security Strategy as a system of state bodies that provide information and analysis, assess the risks and threats to the national security, and plan and implement due countermeasures.
The Agency also takes part in the activities of the intelligence communities of the European Union (EU) and the North-Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO).
SIA cooperates with the other state institutions and structures that are part of the national security system, which perform functions in the sphere of diplomacy, defence, intelligence, counterintelligence, criminal investigation, law enforcement and security.
The mission of SIA is to protect the national security and the interests of the Republic of Bulgaria, but also to support the state leadership in their efforts to fulfill the national priorities, by providing the latest and most reliable intelligence and analysis of events and developments pertaining to the national security, foreign policy, economy and the safeguarding of the constitutional order.
To this end, SIA carries out intelligence operations and obtains, stores, summarizes, analyzes and provides intelligence information.
Intelligence information is any information, obtained by the Agency about foreign countries, organizations and individuals, or Bulgarian organizations and individuals related to these, which is of significance for the national security of the Republic of Bulgaria.
Different information materials – such as reports, analyses and briefings – are prepared on the basis of the acquired intelligence information and provided to the state leadership.
The Agency supplies intelligence information to the Speaker of the National Assembly; the President of the Republic; the Prime Minister and the Members of Cabinet; and other government agencies in accordance with their competence.
The Agency supplies intelligence reports, identical in volume and content to
the President of the Republic, the Speaker of the National Assembly and the Prime Minister.
SIA reports directly to the Council of Ministers, while it performs tasks set by the Prime Minister and by the President of the country, in consultation with the Prime Minister.
The Agency does not carry out assignments of domestic political nature.
SIA’s functions are:
- protection of national security and the interests of the Republic of Bulgaria related to its national security;
- intelligence and analytical support for the prevention, detection and counteraction of any harm in the area of national security, foreign policy, the economy and the safeguarding of the constitutional order;
- provision of assistance to the authorities in pursuing the priorities of the Republic of Bulgaria in the field of national security, foreign policy, the economy and the safeguarding of the constitutional order.
When performing its functions, the Agency maintains information exchange and interaction with other government authorities and cooperates with similar foreign authorities and services.
SIA operates in accordance with the following basic principles:
- compliance with the Constitution, the laws and any international treaties to which the Republic of Bulgaria is a party;
- respect for and safeguarding of human rights and the fundamental freedoms;
- protection of information and its sources;
- objectivity and impartiality;
- cooperation with members of the public;
- political neutrality;
- combination of covert and overt forms and methods of operation.