Bulgaria Under Scrutiny Over Spy Tech Exports to Rights-Abusing Regimes

Human Rights Watch has accused Bulgarian authorities of approving exports of surveillance technologies to countries with documented human rights concerns, raising new questions about the effectiveness of EU export controls on dual-use equipment. The claims are based on an analysis published by HRW, which reviewed licensing data from Bulgaria’s Interagency Commission for Export Control and Non-Proliferation of Weapons of Mass Destruction. According to the report, between 2018 and 2023, the commission approved export licenses for products linked to the surveillance company Circles, which is currently based in Bulgaria. ...