site.btaDefence Minister Says Armed Forces' Modernization Underpinned by Legislation

The modernization of the Bulgarian Armed Forces is backed by legislation until the year's end and beyond, caretaker Defence Minister Atanas Zapryanov told reporters on Thursday after Parliament ratified an international agreement on the acquisition of ammunition for Stryker vehicles and adopted a resolution on an investment expenditure on the purchase of anti-aircraft missile systems.

The acquisition of aircraft for the Air Force is making seamless progress, as is the case with the Land Forces' combat vehicles and the multi-role patrol ships for the Navy. The new thing is the missile defence system and the upcoming negotiations with the German government. "From now on, we will be working to implement these resolutions," said Zapryanov.

The Chief of Defence, Admiral Emil Eftimov, said Parliament's resolution was the most substantial in recent years. The resolution paves the way for modernization of the air defence systems, starting with medium-range systems and the acquisition of six medium-range and one long-range complex by 2031 at fixed prices. Bulgaria has not had such a complex system and such a saturation of air defence assets in recent years, he said. According to information in the public domain, Bulgaria has one C-300 complex, which is between medium and long range, while C-200 is not effective for firing at combat aircraft and missiles, the Chief of Defence said.

It has not been proposed to introduce compulsory military training, but there is a serious proposal regarding the training of the mobilization reserve, the Defence Minister said. There is an increase in applications for military schools, but it is insufficient. The real results of the pay rise in the Armed Forces will be seen after January 1, 2025 when it takes effect, Zapryanov said.