site.btaParliament Adopts 2016 Report on State of Defence, Armed Forces

Sofia, September 27 (BTA) - Parliament on Wednesday voted 106-61 to adopt a report on the State of Defence and the Armed Forces in 2016. Twenty-two MPs abstained.

The report concludes that the Bulgarian armed forces are capable of fulfilling their tasks under the missions arising from the constitutional duties within the framework of NATO collective defence and EU's common security policy. However they experience difficulties in connection with chronic underfinancing, personnel shortages and outdated armament and equipment. Because of this some tasks are fulfilled partially.

The report was challenged by the opposition after the original findings and conclusions were edited by the caretaker government. During the plenary debate MP Spas Panchev of BSP for Bulgaria said that in the past years underfinancing has been a serious problem for the defence sector which is why the Bulgarian armed forces are poorly motivated and the military personnel is ill-prepared. The wages are among the lowest in the public sector and personnel shortages range between 20 per cent and 40 per cent depending on the type of armed forces. Panchev said that money is insufficient for the implementation of investment projects for the acquisition of new fighter aircraft, patrol boats and armored vehicles and the Bulgarian armed forces won't be able to carry out their tasks efficiently.