Sofia, 6 March 1997 (RFE/RL) -- Bulgarian President Petar Stoyanov today dismissed General Brigo Asparuchov as head of the country's National Intelligence Service.
Meanwhile, our correspondent in Sofia reports that Colonel Dimo Gyaurov has been promoted to the rank of general and appointed in Asparuchov's place. Gyaurov previously was a member of parliament for the anti-communist Union of Democratic Forces (UDF).
Asparuchov played a key role in brining down the UDF government of former Prime Minister Philip Dimitrov in 1992. Asparuchov accused one of Dimitrov's advisors of illegally selling weapons to Macedonia. The charges were never substantiated.
Former Bulgaria President Zhelyu Zhelev's refusal to dismiss Asparuchov led to a split between Zhelev and the UDF.