Former Joint Forces Command Chief Appointed President's Secretary

Bulgarian President Rosen Plevneliev has signed a decree appointing reserve Lt Gen Atanas Samandov as his Defense and Security Secretary, the presidency has announced.

The position had been left vacant since May 2013, when Vasil Marinov (later Deputy Interior Minister in Plamen Oresharski's cabinet) stepped down.

The move comes just a day after Samandov was discharged from military service and dismissed as Commander of Bulgaria's Joint Forces Command, with Rear Admiral Georgi Motev taking over.

During his 41-year military service Lt Gen Samandov has assumed all basic command position, heading a range of units from a platoon to a motor rifle division.

Between 2006 and 2009, he was first Chief of Staff and then Deputy Commander of the Bulgarian Land Forces.

He was Chief of the Joint Forces Command from July 1, 2011 to September 15 this year.