site.bta Parliament Reduces Upper Age Limit for Military Enlistment, Rejects Reintroduction of Conscription

Parliament Reduces Upper Age Limit for Military Enlistment, Rejects Reintroduction of Conscription

Sofia, September 14 (BTA) - Bulgaria's Parliament Wednesday passed on first reading Cabinet-proposed amendments to the Defence and Armed Forces of the Republic of Bulgaria Act.

Under the bill, the upper age limit for enlistment of soldiers and seamen will be lowered from 32 to 28 years, and the compulsory release age for such personnel will be reduced as well, from 50 to 46 years. The idea is to rejuvenate enlisted personnel and make it possible to fill the reserve after discharge from military service, the Defence Committee writes in its report. The compulsory release age for non-commissioned personnel is to be increased to 55 years.

The new provisions streamline and complement the powers and duties of the Council of Ministers, the Minister of Defence, the regional governors, central-government departments and legal persons who are assigned wartime tasks. The Minister is vested with additional powers to direct logistical support of the armed forces, coordinate the support of the maintenance of Bulgaria, as a host country, of coalition forces for peace and wartime, and the military products life cycle management policy.

The Chief of Defence will have extended powers over the entire personnel of the armed forces without encroaching on the Minister's powers. Military personnel will be required to observe an Ethical Code of Conduct, which will be endorsed by the Minister of Defence.

The training period for reservists will be increased from 15 to 25 calendar days per year, and training in courses from 30 to 60 days. The compulsory release age for the voluntary reserve will be 55 years for soldiers and seamen, non-commissioned officers and junior-rank commissioned officers, 60 years for senior-rank officers, and 63 years for generals and admirals.

When they leave the country for more than six months, as well as when they take a pregnancy, child-birth, adoption or child-care leave, reservists will be required to notify their registration office within three days and, respectively, within 30 days after their return.

Students attending civilian higher schools and military schools will be entitled to apply for admission to military schools and qualify as reserve officers after undergoing military training.

Bulgarian citizens, who are exempt from military service, will be able to fill positions in the voluntary reserve without a competition.

The bill provides for the establishment of a single basic training centre for reservists and Bulgarian citizens wishing to be trained as volunteers.

Also on Wednesday, the legislature voted down two other bills to amend the Defence and Armed Forces Act, one tabled by Krassimir Karakachanov MP of the Patriotic Front and the other by independent MP Velizar Enchev, envisaging the reintroduction of conscription.

After the plenary vote, Karakachanov told journalists that before the amending bill proposed by the Council of Ministers comes up for a second reading, they will move revisions reintroducing conscription. "We will keep proposing it until its time comes," he said.