# Ministry of Defence (Bulgaria)

The Ministry of Defence (Bulgarian: Министерство на отбраната, 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

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) | Took office | Left office | Political party |
| Ministers of Army (1879–1912) ||||||
| 1 | Pyotr Parensov (1843–1914) | 17 July 1879 | 3 April 1880 | Imperial Russian Army |
| 2 | Paul von Plehwe (1850–1916) | 3 April 1880 | 15 April 1880 | Imperial Russian Army |
| 3 | Alexander Timler (1835–?) | 15 April 1880 | 17 April 1880 | Imperial Russian Army |
| 4 | Johan Casimir Ehrnrooth (1833–1913) | 17 April 1880 | 13 July 1881 | Imperial Russian Army |
| 5 | Vladimir Krylov (1830–1888) | 13 July 1881 | 24 April 1882 | Imperial Russian Army |
| 6 | Ivan Lesovoy (1835–?) | 24 April 1882 | 3 July 1882 | Imperial Russian Army |
| 7 | Alexander Kaulbars (1844–1925) | 3 July 1882 | 19 September 1883 | Imperial Russian Army |
| 8 | Aleksandr Roediger (1853–1920) | 19 September 1883 | 26 October 1883 | Imperial Russian Army |
| 9 | Viktor Kotelnikov (?–?) | 26 October 1883 | 10 February 1884 | Imperial Russian Army |
| 10 | Mikhail Cantacuzène (1840–1891) | 10 February 1884 | 7 March 1885 | Imperial Russian Army |
| 11 | Ivan Weymarn (1840–1891) | 7 March 1885 | 22 April 1885 | Imperial Russian Army |
| (10) | Mikhail Cantacuzène (1840–1891) (2nd time) | 22 April 1885 | 22 September 1885 | Imperial Russian Army |
| 12 | Konstantin Nikiforov (1856–1891) | 22 September 1885 | 24 August 1886 | Bulgarian Army |
| 13 | Olimpiy Panov (1852–1887) | 24 August 1886 | 28 August 1886 | Bulgarian Army |
| 14 | Danail Nikolaev (1852–1942) | 28 August 1886 | 10 July 1887 | Bulgarian Army |
| 15 | Racho Petrov (1861–1942) | 10 July 1887 | 1 September 1887 | Bulgarian Army |
| 16 | Sava Mutkurov (1852–1891) | 1 September 1887 | 16 February 1891 | Bulgarian Army |
| 17 | Mihail Savov (1857–1928) | 16 February 1891 | 27 April 1894 | Bulgarian Army |
| (15) | Racho Petrov (1861–1942) (2nd time) | 27 April 1894 | 29 November 1896 | Bulgarian Army |
| 18 | Nikola Ivanov (1861–1940) | 29 November 1896 | 30 January 1899 | Bulgarian Army |
| 19 | Stefan Paprikov (1858–1920) | 30 January 1899 | 31 March 1903 | Bulgarian Army |
| (17) | Mihail Savov (1857–1928) (2nd time) | 31 March 1903 | 4 May 1907 | Bulgarian Army |
| (14) | Danail Nikolaev (1852–1942) (2nd time) | 4 May 1907 | 29 March 1911 | Bulgarian Army |
| 20 | Nikifor Nikiforov (1858–1935) | 29 March 1911 | 14 January 1912 | Bulgarian Army |
| Ministers of War (1912–1947) ||||||
| 20 | Nikifor Nikiforov (1858–1935) | 14 January 1912 | 14 June 1913 | Bulgarian Army |
| 21 | Stiliyan Kovachev (1860–1939) | 14 June 1913 | 11 July 1913 | Bulgarian Army |
| 22 | Georgi Vazov (1860–1934) | 11 July 1913 | 4 September 1913 | Bulgarian Army |
| 23 | Kliment Boyadzhiev (1861–1933) | 4 September 1913 | 14 September 1914 | Bulgarian Army |
| 24 | Ivan Fichev (1860–1931) | 14 September 1914 | 19 August 1915 | Bulgarian Army |
| 25 | Nikola Zhekov (1864–1949) | 19 August 1915 | 4 October 1915 | Bulgarian Army |
| 26 | Kalin Naydenov (1865–1925) | 4 October 1915 | 21 June 1918 | Bulgarian Army |
| 27 | Sava Savov (1865–1945) | 21 June 1918 | 28 November 1918 | Bulgarian Army |
| 28 | Andrey Lyapchev (1866–1933) | 28 November 1918 | 7 May 1919 | Democratic Party |
| 29 | Mihail Madzharov (1854–1944) | 7 May 1919 | 6 October 1919 | People's Party |
| 30 | Aleksandar Stamboliyski (1879–1923) | 6 October 1919 | 24 June 1921 | Bulgarian Agrarian National Union |
| 31 | Aleksandar Dimitrov (1878–1921) | 24 June 1921 | 22 October 1921 | Bulgarian Agrarian National Union |
| (30) | Aleksandar Stamboliyski (1879–1923) (2nd time) | 22 October 1921 | 9 November 1921 | Bulgarian Agrarian National Union |
| 32 | Konstantin Tomov (1888–1935) | 9 November 1921 | 9 February 1923 | Bulgarian Agrarian National Union |
| (30) | Aleksandar Stamboliyski (1879–1923) (3rd time) | 9 February 1923 | 12 March 1923 | Bulgarian Agrarian National Union |
| 33 | Konstantin Muraviev (1893–1965) | 9 February 1923 | 9 June 1923 | Bulgarian Agrarian National Union |
| 34 | Aleksandar Tsankov (1879–1959) | 9 June 1923 | 10 June 1923 | Democratic Alliance |
| 35 | Ivan Valkov (1875–1962) | 10 June 1923 | 11 January 1929 | Bulgarian Army |
| 36 | Nikola Bakardzhiev (1881–1954) | 11 January 1929 | 31 January 1931 | Bulgarian Army |
| 37 | Aleksandar Kisyov (1879–1964) | 31 January 1931 | 9 May 1934 | Bulgarian Army |
| 38 | Anastas Vatev (1881–1967) | 9 May 1934 | 19 May 1934 | Bulgarian Army |
| 39 | Pencho Zlatev (1881–1948) | 19 May 1934 | 21 April 1935 | Bulgarian Army |
| 40 | Stefan Tsanev (1881–1944) | 21 April 1935 | 23 November 1935 | Bulgarian Army |
| 41 | Hristo Lukov (1888–1943) | 23 November 1935 | 24 January 1938 | Bulgarian Army |
| 42 | Teodosi Daskalov (1888–1945) | 24 January 1938 | 11 April 1942 | Bulgarian Army |
| 43 | Nikola Mihov (1891–1945) | 11 April 1942 | 14 September 1943 | Bulgarian Army |
| 44 | Rusi Rusev (1887–1945) | 14 September 1943 | 2 September 1944 | Bulgarian Army |
| 45 | Ivan Marinov (1896–1979) | 2 September 1944 | 9 September 1944 | Bulgarian Army |
| 46 | Damyan Velchev (1883–1954) | 9 September 1944 | 25 September 1946 | Zveno |
| 47 | Kimon Georgiev (1882–1969) | 25 September 1946 | 22 November 1946 | Zveno |
| 48 | Georgi Damyanov (1892–1958) | 22 November 1946 | 11 December 1947 | Bulgarian Communist Party |
| Ministers of People's Defence (1947–1990) ||||||
| 48 | Georgi Damyanov (1892–1958) | 11 December 1947 | 27 May 1950 | Bulgarian Communist Party |
| 49 | Petar Panchevski (1902–1982) | 27 May 1950 | 9 June 1958 | Bulgarian Communist Party |
| 50 | Ivan Mihailov (1897–1982) | 9 June 1958 | 17 March 1962 | Bulgarian Communist Party |
| 51 | Dobri Dzhurov (1916–2002) | 17 March 1962 | 22 November 1990 | Bulgarian Communist Party |
| 52 | Yordan Mutafchiev (1940–2015) | 22 November 1990 | 20 December 1990 | Bulgarian Socialist Party |
| Ministers of Defence (1990–present) ||||||
| 52 | Yordan Mutafchiev (1940–2015) | 20 December 1990 | 8 November 1991 | Bulgarian Socialist Party |
| 53 | Dimitar Ludzhev (born 1950) | 8 November 1991 | 20 May 1992 | Union of Democratic Forces |
| 54 | Aleksandar Staliyski (1925–2004) | 20 May 1992 | 30 December 1992 | Democratic Party |
| 55 | Valentin Aleksandrov (1946–2008) | 30 December 1992 | 17 October 1994 | Independent |
| 56 | Boyko Noev (born 1964) | 17 October 1994 | 26 January 1995 | Independent |
| 57 | Dimitar Pavlov (1937–2019) | 26 January 1995 | 12 February 1997 | Bulgarian Socialist Party |
| 58 | Georgi Ananiev (1950–2021) | 12 February 1997 | 21 December 1999 | Union of Democratic Forces |
| (56) | Boyko Noev (born 1964) (2nd time) | 21 December 1999 | 24 July 2001 | Union of Democratic Forces |
| 59 | Nikolay Svinarov (born 1958) | 24 July 2001 | 17 August 2005 | National Movement Simeon II |
| 60 | Veselin Bliznakov (born 1944) | 17 August 2005 | 24 April 2008 | National Movement Simeon II |
| 61 | Nikolai Tsonev (born 1956) | 24 April 2008 | 27 July 2009 | National Movement for Stability and Progress |
| 62 | Nickolay Mladenov (born 1972) | 27 July 2009 | 27 January 2010 | GERB |
| 63 | Anyu Angelov (born 1942) | 27 January 2010 | 13 March 2013 | GERB |
| 64 | Todor Tagarev (born 1960) | 13 March 2013 | 29 May 2013 | Independent |
| 65 | Angel Naydenov (born 1958) | 29 May 2013 | 6 August 2014 | Bulgarian Socialist Party |
| 66 | Velizar Shalamanov (born 1961) | 6 August 2014 | 7 November 2014 | Independent |
| 67 | Nikolay Nenchev (born 1966) | 7 November 2014 | 27 January 2017 | Reformist Bloc |
| 68 | Stefan Yanev (born 1960) | 27 January 2017 | 4 May 2017 | Independent |
| 69 | Krasimir Karakachanov (born 1965) | 4 May 2017 | 12 May 2021 | United Patriots |
| 70 | Georgi Panayotov (born 1968) | 12 May 2021 | 13 December 2021 | Independent |
| 71 | Stefan Yanev (born 1960) | 13 December 2021 | 1 March 2022 | Independent |
| 72 | Dragomir Zakov (born 1975) | 1 March 2022 | 2 August 2022 | Independent |
| 73 | Dimitar Stoyanov (born 1968) | 2 August 2022 | 6 June 2023 | Independent |
| 74 | Todor Tagarev (born 1960) | 6 June 2023 | 9 April 2024 | Independent |
| 75 | Atanas Zapryanov (born 1950) | 9 April 2024 | Incumbent | Independent |