site.btaBulgaria's Chief of Defence Addresses NATO Military Committee Conference

Bulgaria's Chief of Defence, Admiral Emil Eftimov, told NATO counterparts that the implementation of the bloc's regional plans, adopted at the Vilnius Summit in July, requires well-trained, adequately equipped and interoperable forces at the necessary level of readiness, the Defence Ministry reported on Sunday. "It is also necessary to have an upgraded and well-adapted command and management system which can function in a multicomponent environment," Eftimov said, speaking at NATO's annual Military Committee Conference in Oslo.

The conference was discussing, among other things, the reinforcement of the bloc's deterrence and defence potential in the context of the decisions made by the allies' heads of state and government at the Vilnius Summit.

Some of the discussions were about the situation in Ukraine and how the allies' support for the country has influenced the implementation of the Concept for Deterrence and Defence of the Euro-Atlantic Area. Adm. Eftimov said assistance to Ukraine should be provided in the context of the plans for armed forces modernization and for replenishing the stocks of material resources.

The Bulgarian chief of defence drew attention to the situation in the Black Sea, where Russia has shown disrespect for international law. He stressed the importance of strengthening NATO's capacity for constant situational awareness. The admiral called for setting up a Black Sea coordination centre, which he said can be hosted by Bulgaria.