site.btaMilitary Parade Marks Day of Valour and Armed Forces

Military Parade Marks Day of Valour and Armed Forces

Sofia, May 6 (BTA) - A military parade in Sofia marked the Day of Valour and the Bulgarian Armed Forces on May 6. More than 1,300 servicemen, over 35 tracked and wheeled combat vehicles and 12 aircraft and helicopters participated. This is the first time since 2009 that equipment of the Ground Forces, the Air Defence Forces and the Military Police have joined the parade.

President Rosen Plevneliev, who is the Supreme Commander-in-Chief, reviewed the parade.

Participating were T-72 tanks, a Gvozdika 122mm self-propelled howitzer, armoured infantry fighting vehicles, a Tundzha 120mm self-propelled mortar, armoured personnel carriers, OSA AK surface to air missile systems, a D20 152mm towed gun howitzer, a Grad multiple rocket launcher, a Tochka short-range ballistic missile system, Mercedes G-class light utility vehicles, armoured Humvees, Commando Select four-wheeled armoured personnel carriers, Guardian armoured personnel carriers, Sand Cat armoured vehicles, and S-300 surface-to-air missile systems.

Cougar and Bell 206 helicopters, Spartan and Antonov An-30 transport aircraft, Pilatus and L-39 trainer aircraft, MiG-29 and Sukhoi Su-25 aircraft flew over Sofia. This was the first time a Panther naval helicopter flew in formation with Air Force helicopters in Sofia's sky.

The parade was attended by Parliament Chairperson Tsetska Tsacheva, Prime Minister Boyko Borissov, Defence Minister Nikolay Nenchev, the Chief of Defence, General Konstantin Popov, MPs, high-ranking officers, diplomats and veterans.

In his address Plevneliev said: "The Bulgarians expect collective security and defence to be a strategic priority on which politicians are united, act effectively and responsibly to the nation."

Plevneliev said it is a key priority to build modern, combat effective armed forces, compatible with those of Bulgaria's allies and capable of accomplishing the tasks set by the State leadership. He noted that defence spending had increased and must reach 2 per cent of GDP by 2024, and that strategic documents on Armed Forces development until 2020 had been adopted.

The President stressed that despite difficulties, the armed forces responsibly meet their constitutional and allied commitments in the NATO and EU collective security system.

Plevneliev also stressed the pressing need for an adequate assessment of the developments and processes which led to serious confrontation and armed conflicts with disastrous consequences for mankind in the past. Currently the level of security is at its lowest since World War II. People are concerned and expect politicians to act responsibly and resolutely to solve the crises, he said.

The risks and threats to European security should not be denied, but there is more to them than the migrant influx and terror attacks, the head of State said. Crimea's unlawful annexation, the Ukraine crisis, the destabilization and placing of States in dependence on a foreign will through frozen conflicts, hybrid, propaganda and cyber attacks are a fact, said Plevneliev.

Today Bulgaria appears in a good position against the backdrop of the record large number of crises around it. "Bulgaria protects its borders effectively while respecting human rights," said Plevneliev.