Atanas Dimitrov Zapryanov

Public record

Compiled from publications and official records as of 18.10.2026. Every statement links to its source; claims made by others are marked as such, with who makes them. Quotations in English are our translation.

Communist Party and State Security

• Head of his political cabinet – a staff intelligence officer of the General Staff Intelligence Directorate. By decision No. 3-34 of 14.10.2025 the Dossier Commission established that Nikolay Dotsev, head of Atanas Zapryanov's political cabinet, was a staff officer of the General Staff Intelligence Directorate (РУ-ГЩ) before 10.11.1989. He was hired as an official in the Ministry of Defence and kept his post. The results, republished by desebg.com (Държавна сигурност.com), show no reaction from Zapryanov and no change of personnel. — desebg.com (Държавна сигурност.com), 14 October 2025
• Career officer in the Bulgarian People's Army Signals troops before 1989. His official Ministry of Defence biography, reprinted by Eurocom.bg, describes him as a unit commander and then in staff posts in the signals directorate of the Land Forces Command and in the General Staff. From 1986 to 1988 he worked in the directorate in various posts. He graduated from the Budyonny military signals academy in Leningrad (1982). The source reports no service in State Security or the General Staff Intelligence Directorate. — Eurocom.bg, 15 January 2025

Corruption and scandals

• Defence Ministry contracts with invalid bank guarantees. The contracts, construction and infrastructure ones, some paid 100% in advance, were found in late 2025, under Zapryanov's ministry. In an interview for 24 chasa he says 5 are affected: two from his term, one under Tagarev and one under Stoyanov. He gave BNT and the portal town.bg a figure of about 16 contracts and BGN 16 million. He says: „Те са хванати в края на миналата година при редовното правителство на Росен Желязков и още тогава е подаден сигнал в прокуратурата.“ (our translation: "They were caught at the end of last year under the regular government of Rosen Zhelyazkov, and a signal was sent to the prosecution back then.") According to him, DANS, the Military Prosecutor's Office and the National Prosecutor's Office were notified, the fraud was committed by the contractors with no ministry officials involved, and an investigation is under way. The matter was publicly raised in June 2026 by minister Dimitar Stoyanov; what is set out here is Zapryanov's own account, given in defence against criticism from his successor. No charges against Zapryanov or ministry staff are known. — 24 chasa, 12 June 2026
• Delayed and costlier renovation of the Graf Ignatievo air base. The renovation, run by the Ministry of Defence during Zapryanov's term, has been repeatedly reported as delayed and much more expensive than planned. Citing Zapryanov's reply to a parliamentary question from opposition MP Ivaylo Mirchev, Mediapool reported: „Краят на ремонта на авиобазата "Граф Игнатиево" не се вижда и не е изключено да стигне милиард“ (our translation: "The end of the Graf Ignatievo air base renovation is not in sight and it may well reach a billion"). The original BGN 300 million has more than doubled, and some funds were paid without tenders, the outlet writes. Capital (19.10.2024) and Plovdiv Online carried similar reports. According to the latter, minister Dimitar Stoyanov announced Military Police checks and dismissals in the ministry. No charges against Zapryanov are known. — Mediapool.bg, 23 October 2025