site.btaUPDATED All Parliamentary Groups Move that Service Members’ Salaries Be Levelled with Average Wage

Sofia, April 12 (BTA) – All parliamentary groups are tabling a bill to amend the Defence and Armed Forces Act by which service members' salaries will be levelled with the national average wage, parliamentary Defence Committee Chair Hristo Gadzhev MP of GERB-UDF told a news briefing at the National Assembly on Friday.

He specified that this would entail a nearly 30% pay rise for military personnel.

This means that the initial monthly salary of the lowest ranking soldier would increase from BGN 1,450 now to BGN 2,200 if the draft legislation is adopted.

This extra spending item will cost the public purse BGN 520 million.

Military salaries were already raised this year, by 10%. Despite this, the Armed Forces are undermanned by nearly 22% because of the low pay as well as uncongenial working conditions, ambiguous rules on career growth, specific restrictions and other factors.

The movers expect the amendments to be adopted by May 6 and the increased salaries to become effective as from January 1, 2025 so that to be budgeted for next year.

Earlier in the day, the legislature added, as the second item on its agenda, a Government-proposed draft resolution on designating military units and entities to fill up the wartime strength of the Armed Forces and on determining the numerical strength of the Armed Forces reserve. This part of the plenary sitting was held behind closed doors because the annex to the draft resolution is classified as confidential.

The Defence Ministry is carrying on its analyses, and its proposal will be clear by the end of June, caretaker Defence Minister Atanas Zapryanov explained during the news briefing. “What the MPs resolved now will help us, and we will cope with the voluntary service principle because, as the military profession becomes more attractive, we will be able to train reservists for the Armed Forces. If their number is sufficient, this will obviate the need to introduce another form of mandatory military training,” Zapryanov said.

The Bulgarian Armed Forces reserve has a mandatory (mobilization) and a voluntary (standing) component. Registration for, and service in, the mobilization reserve is limited to Bulgarian citizens who have performed military service, have successfully completed a military training course or have been part of other national security components designated by the Council of Ministers, and those whose civilian-acquired skill is necessary for the armed forces. Those wishing to enter service in the voluntary reserve must sign a five-year contract.

The Defence Minister said that the Chief of Defence and US experts and specialists will be in the Graf Ignatievo Air Base between April 22 and 24 for the expected certification of some of the facilities there. The idea is to be able to use a local home base for the F-16 jet fighters and not have to station them in another country, as was the case of Slovakia, Zapryanov explained.

“Nothing of Parliament’s resolution has been implemented so far,” Gadzhev said, asked by reported about the military aid requested by and sent to Ukraine. He was referring to a reply by former defence minister Todor Tagarev during Question Time about the supply of anti-aircraft defence systems. Zapryanov said that this equipment will leave for Ukraine presently.