site.btaThis Year Bulgaria Has Lowest Defence Expenditures since 2005, NATO Data Shows

This Year Bulgaria Has Lowest Defence Expenditures since 2005, NATO Data Shows

Brussels, June 22 (BTA correspondent Nikolay Jeliazkov) - This
year Bulgaria has set aside 979 million leva for defence and
this is the smallest sum for the last ten years, data presented
by NATO Monday showed.

In 2005, Bulgaria invested 1,051 million leva in defence and the
highest expenditure of 1,230 million leva was reported in 2010.
In 2011 Bulgaria's defence expenditure stood at 1,066 million
leva, in 2012 at 1,099 millin leva, in 2013 at 1,196 million
leva, and last year at 1,102 million leva.

The quoted expenditure has been calculated at current prices and
by NATO methods. They are based on the NATO definition of
defence expenditure. In view of the differences between this and
national definitions, the figures shown may diverge
considerably from those which are quoted by national authorities
or given in national budgets, the press release said.

Bulgaria's defence expenditure and GDP volume change for this
year is equal to 1.2 per cent at current prices. In 2005-2009 it
amounted to 2.1 per cent, in 2010-2014 to 1.4 per cent, in 2011
and 2012 1.4 per cent, in 2013 1.5 per cent, and 1.3 per cent
in 2014.

At the same time, personnel expenditures in the Bulgarian army
(including retirement compensations) are increasing steadily.
For 2005-2009 this expenditure amounted to 49.9 per cent of the
total defence expenditure, then in 2010-2014 it rose to 66.8 per
cent, with 72.8 per cent registered last year and 74.7 per cent
this year.

The costs for armament have been reducing: from 17.6 per cent
for 2005-2009, to 4.4 for the 2010-2014 period. This year, this
expenditure item stands at 1.7 per cent.

The staff of the Bulgarian Army has shrunk from 2005 until now
from 43,000 to 25,000.

More funds for defence are needed, NATO Secretary General Jens
Stoltenberg told the press, remarking that this year the
organization expects five countries to invest 2 per cent of GDP.
Eighteen Alliance countries are also expected to increase their
defence expenditure and those are good news. Defence
expenditure is expected to decrease by a total of 1.5 per
cent.