site.btaDefence Minister Talks with French Parliamentarians

Paris, October 11 (BTA) - A Bulgarian delegation led by Defence Minister Krassimir Karakachanov held meetings at the National Defence and Armed Forces Committee in the French National Assembly on October 10, the first day of the delegation's official visit to France, the Defence Ministry reported.

During the talks with the Committee Chairman, Jean-Jacques Bridey, Karakachanov presented his ministry's priorities as to re-arming and upgrading of the Bulgarian Armed Forces and raising the social status of the military. He outlined the main security problems in the Balkans and the Black Sea region. The guest approved of French President Emmanuel Macron's new programme for joint European defence which was presented during the latter's visit to Bulgaria a few weeks ago.

Bridey congratulated the Bulgarian government on its ambitious programme for re-armament and upgrading of the Armed Forces and the good partnership relations between Bulgaria and France.

The sides discussed the alternative voluntary military service in France which Bulgaria could learn from.