site.btaMobilization Reserve Situation "Taking Very Bad Turn" - Defence Minister

"The situation with the mobilization reserve is taking a very bad turn," Bulgarian Defence Minister Todor Tagarev said at a meeting of the parliamentary Defence Committee on Wednesday.

He pointed out that the draft strategy explores numerous options for voluntary military service.

Deputy Defence Minister Atanas Zapryanov described voluntary reserve service as "a working and useful measure". He explained that after the initiative was launched, some 300 people signed up, and now they are down to some 100. "The number of those trained is insufficient to fill up the reserve in the short term," he asserted.

Zapryanov said that a large part of voluntary reserve trainees enlist after the completion of their training. He noted that this has changed the purpose of training from filling up the reserve to addressing the undermanning.

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.

The voluntary reserve was established in 2012. Its strength was set at 3,000, and this level is not planned to change until 2032. The number of five-year voluntary reserve service contracts concluded varied from 565 in 2017 to 405 in 2018, 410 in 2019, and 432 in 2020. The proportion of applicants who proved fit to serve as voluntary reservists declined from 19% in 2018 to 16% in 2019 and 10% in 2020.