State Security Agency, Prosecution, IntMin Discuss Banks Affair

Authorities have a concrete direction in their investigation into the identity of the people targeting certain Bulgarian banks, officials announced.

The news came as Interior Minister Tsvetlin Yovchev, Chief Prosecutor Sotir Tsatsarov and State Agency for National Security (DANS) Chairman Vladimir Pisanchev made the revelation at an emergency meeting in the DANS headquarters in which they discussed measures to handle what they describe as attempts to destabilize Bulgaria's banking system.

No results of the meeting were disclosed and it was not followed by official statements, public broadcaster BNR reveals.

But during the joint session officials revealed there was a lead in the actions of people who sent e-mails and anonymous text messages urging people to withdraw their savings from First Investment Bank and disseminating rumors of their failure.

An probe is under way into the affair which also comprises actions against the Corporate Commercial Bank (KTB) that forced central bank BNB to place it under special supervision over exhaustion of liquidity.

DANS has meanwhile announced telephones numbers for those who receive SMS or e-mail messages containing negative information on Bulgarian banks.

The security agency has urged everyone who receives such communication to either call 866 22 11 (or 814 70 95) or to write to press@dans.bg.