site.btaDefence Chief Confident That Salaries of Servicemen Will Be Increased

Chief of Defence Emil Eftimov expressed confidence that the decision of the 50th National Assembly to increase the salaries of servicemen from the beginning of 2025 will be implemented, the press centre of the Ministry of Defence said Wednesday. Eftimov attended the opening ceremony of a renovated building at Military Formation 54060 - Shumen and the celebration of the holiday of Fifth Brigade Command - Pleven. 

The lowest basic monthly remuneration for servicemen from January 1, 2025 will be from BGN 2,300 to BGN 2,370, caretaker Defence Minister Atanas Zapryanov said earlier this year. From January 1, the amount of the basic monthly remuneration for the lowest post will be determined each year based on the average salary for the country in the second quarter of the previous year, Parliament decided earlier this year. The basic monthly remuneration of Bulgarian servicemen will see an average increase of about 50%. 

"Today our priority is not only to increase the combat capabilities of the Bulgarian army, but also to provide better working conditions for the people in the defence sector and boost their confidence. We need to retain the best professionals and challenge them to develop, because modern equipment requires much more competence. We are also looking for motivated new recruits to join our ranks. With your example you can contribute a lot to attract young people to the army," Admiral Eftimov said.

He stressed that 2025 will be the year of the beginning of the real implementation of the first major modernisation projects of the Bulgarian Army. "We have managed in recent years to convince the State and political leadership of the need for investment in defence. We have received the support of all institutions and a comprehensive investment programme for the modernisation of the Bulgarian Army until 2032 has been adopted. This need is reinforced today by the complicated security environment in regions not far from us - Ukraine, the Western Balkans, the Middle East," the Defence Chief said. 

He pointed out that the dynamics of the military-strategic environment in our part of the world has caused NATO to adapt in response to these threats, with Bulgaria hosting a multinational battle group on its territory.

The Chief of Defence congratulated the servicemen on the occasion of December 4, the holiday of the Fifth Brigade Command stationed in the city of Pleven and comprising the 29th Mechanised Battalion.