site.btaDefence Minister: Bulgarians in Lebanon Will Most Likely Be Evacuated on Two Government Aircraft Flights

Speaking in the Black Sea city of Varna on Monday, caretaker Defence Minister Atanas Zapryanov said that the Bulgarian nationals in Lebanon will most likely be evacuated on two government aircraft flights. He added that representatives of the Armed Forces are also involved in the evacuation efforts. In Zapryanov's words, coordination is being carried out at the international level, including at the NATO level, because the implementation of such flights is complicated. The most important thing is to ensure a safe evacuation, the Minister stressed. He said that the Armed Forces have not yet been tasked to fly military aircraft to Lebanon, adding that the lists of people awaiting evacuation are still being finalized.

Zapryanov also commented on the investigation into the September 13 crash of a military aircraft in South Bulgaria that claimed the lives of the two pilots on board. The Minister said that the plane’s black box is currently in the Czech Republic, where it will be examined and a report on the data is to be presented. He recalled that the prosecution service and an expert committee are checking all the documents on the preparation, organization, and management of the flights that day. Zapryanov said that the black box will reveal information about the actions of the pilots and the aircraft, but a comprehensive analysis will also be carried out. He added that an objective assessment will be made and presented to the public.

The caretaker Defence Minister spoke of a shipbuilding programme of the Bulgarian Navy, noting that everything is going as planned. He said that a document for the purchase of a shore-based system for the combat fleet would be made available soon. The Minister added that the provision of drones and counter-drone systems for the Navy should also be considered.

Zapryanov identified the shortage of cadets in all military schools as a major problem for the Armed Forces. He said there are candidates, but many drop out for medical reasons. The Minister also noted that the number of applicants has doubled because of the planned increase in military personnel’s salaries as of January 1.

The Minister attended a ceremony marking the start of the 2024/2025 academic year at Nikola Vaptsarov Naval Academy in Varna.