Bulgaria Won't Reduce Afghanistan Troops despite Funding Issues

Bulgaria's Defense Minister Mladenov (left) said Bulgarian troops in Afganistan would not be reduced despite funding troubles. Photo by BGNES

Bulgaria is not going to reduce the number of its troops in Afghanistan despite the financial difficulties of its Defense Ministry.

Defense Minister, Nikolay Mladenov, said he hoped that additional funds could be allocated to the Ministry’s budget in 2010. Despite the fact that the Defense Ministry will have to adopt austerity measures, it most likely not going to have to cut down on its Afghanistan contingent.

Mladenov and his team are currently working on a report on the financial troubles of their institution.

The Minister said he was worried by the reduced funding for Bulgaria’s military missions and military representatives abroad.

In his words, the idea for setting up a Bulgarian military field hospital in Afghanistan will not be realized soon since that is “a very expensive exercise that we cannot afford.”

According to the revelations made by Mladenov in October 2009, the former defense administration was involved in large-scale violations and abuses of the Ministry's funds. This is said to have lead to a huge deficit of some BGN 350 M at the Ministry, which in October was left with only BGN 1 000 in its account.

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