A special panel, investigating Bulgaria's communist-era police files exposed Wednesday 12 more employees of the National Security Service (NSO) as collaborators and agents of the former Communist State Security.

The latest discoveries include the Head of the Service, Dimitar Dimitrov, who was hired as an intelligence officer in 1987 in the department which was inherited by his current office. Dimitrov leads the National Security Service since 2007. From 2004 until 2007 he has been a Deputy Chief there.

In April, the Files Commission announced that out of 134 high-ranking NSO employees, 73 have been involved with the Communist State Security, including the NSO Chief between 1992 and 2004, Gen. Vladimir Vladimirov.

In another press release, the Files Commission listed Wednesday the names of 27 journalists in regional print media as having ties with the Communist Services. From 76 print media across the country that were probed, 19 had former State Security agents on staff.

This is the first stage of the check of regional media with 70 more outlets mandated to provide information about their owners, directors, deputy directors, editors-in-chief, deputy editors-in-chief, political analysts, and heads of departments.

In a novel move, the Files Commission warns that those who fail to provide the requested data will face steep fines, starting at BGN 15 000.

In December 2009, and February 2010, in two separate probes the Commission revealed the names of 50 former Communist agents in national media after checking 330 individuals and 50 print media.

During the term of the previous Three-Way Coalition cabinet it was decided checks in media would involve only people hired after 2006, consequently the list is deemed far from complete.