Associates

Five senior researchers, nine PhD holders, four MAs, thirteen altogether, is the team, not hired on a permanent basis. Dissertation writers and students are also volunteering in the ISIS activity.

Ambassador Valeri Ratchev	Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Bulgaria to the Republic of Iraq and Councillor to the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Bulgaria Valeri R. Ratchev has presented his Letters of Credence as Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Bulgaria to the Republic of Iraq on March 22, 2006. This is the first diplomatic post of Valeri Ratchev. At this rank he arrived after 30 years military career from the position of Deputy Commandant of ‘G. S. Rakovski’ Defense and Staff College and Dean of National Security and Defense Faculty. He served also as a Deputy Director for Defence Planning at the Ministry of Defence, Deputy Director of the National Security Studies Centre, editor-in-chief of the MoD’ professional bi-monthly Military Journal and on a variety of positions as a commanding and staff officer in the Bulgarian Armed Forces. For his service he has been decorated with Medal for Distinguished Military Service (II and III classes) and many other signs as well as with a personal combat arm. He has earned a B.S. and M. A. in military art in the Artillery Academy in Shoumen, Bulgaria and Artilery College in Sanct Peterburg (Leninigrad) and obtained qualification in international relations and security from the U.S.-German George C. Marshall European Center for Security Studies (Garmish-Partenkirchen), the Institute for International Relations in Rome (Italy), and the University of Michigan (Ann Arbor, USA). His area of expertise includes international and national security issues, defense transformation and force planning, civil-military relations and crisis management. On those issues he has published and lectured in Bulgaria, Europe and USA. Valeri Ratchev is Senior Research Associate of ISIS. His affiliation with the Institute is since 1995.
Velko Attanassoff	Velko Attanassoff is holding an honorary dual master degree - Master of Arts in National Security Studies (Middle East Regional Studies) and Master of Science in Defense Analysis (Low Intensity Conflict) from the Naval Postgraduate School (NPS) in Monterey, CA, USA. Currently, he is associated with the Institute for Security and International Studies (ISIS) in Sofia, Bulgaria and also lectures “Contemporary Islam” in the International Security M. A. Program of the International Relations Department of the Law School at the Sofia University “St. Kliment Ohridsky”. His research interests are in the field of Islamic activism and collective action (i.e., revolutions, rebellions, and social movements) in Muslim societies. He is presently working on EU Multipart project and the Sofia University project “Post Conflict Rehabilitation – the building of security partnership and the EU Role”, and also on his PhD thesis, focused on religious activism in the Balkans and the consequences for the regional security. His important publications are: “Bosnia and Herzegovina—Islamic Revival, International Advocacy Networks and Islamic Terrorism” (Strategic Insights, Volume IV, Issue 5 (May 2005); “The Case of Afghanistan” in Cultural Awareness – New Educational Standards, New Security (Sofia University Press, 2008).
Todor Tagarev	Affiliation: Senior Research Associate, Institute for Security and International Studies since 1995. Director Programs, Centre for National Security and Defence Research – Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, http://cnsdr.bas.bg Managing Editor, Information & Security: An International Journal, http://infosec.procon.bg/ Education M.Sc. in electrical engineering (1982), Air Force Academy, Bulgaria Ph.D. (1989), N.E. Zhukovsky Air Force Engineering Academy, Moscow Airpower studies (1994), U.S. Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama Career Bulgarian Academy of Sciences: Senior Researcher, current; 2002 –2005, 1995-1998 “G.S. Rakovski” Defence and Staff College: Chair, Defence Management Department; 2005 – 2008 Ministry of Defence: Director, Armaments Policy (May – Sep 2001); Director, Defence Planning (1998 – Apr 2001) Air Force: field assignments (1982-1986), Assistant Professor - Air Force Academy (1989-1992), Joint assignment (1992-1994) Main field of specialization: Defence policy and planning, security sector reform (primarily from organizational management perspective, with focus on planning, resource management, and process improvement) Other fields: Security and defence R&T management Security and defence economics, defence industrial base Critical Infrastructure Protection Current research interest: Scenario-based, capability-oriented planning for the defence and the security sector (planning under uncertainty, complexity) Defence transformation in partner countries (with experience in Bulgaria, the Western Balkans, Ukraine, Moldova, Georgia,  Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Kazakhstan)