Overhauled Version of Bulgaria's Outlook 2020 to Be Unveiled Wednesday

The government's Security Council has discussed amendments in a controversial report of the Bulgarian Defense Ministry outlining the upcoming reforms in the sector.

The document, called Outlook 2020: Bulgaria and NATO in European Defense, had to be overhauled as it contained the notion of "an informational war" with Russia in which it said Bulgaria is involved.

Interim Prime Minister Georgi Bliznashki returned the document for amendments, insisting the text should not describe Russia's policies on Ukraine as a threat to Bulgaria's security.

Bliznashki urged that the report should display a more balanced and moderate stance.

Outlook 2020 was published on the Defense Ministry's website last week prior to the forthcoming NATO summit in Wales scheduled for October 4-5, but was removed within hours.

Bulgarian President Rosen Plevneliev has defended the document saying it reflects NATO's position in the Ukrainian-Russian standoff.

The new draft version is to be tabled at the next Council of Ministers meeting on Wednesday, prior to the summit.

Citing its own sources, private national channel bTV argues the term "hybrid wars", which has enjoyed controversial reception, will be retained, even though it will not explicitly refer to any specific conflict or state.

Commitments to raising defense expenditure to 1.5% of the central budget and to setting aside 15% of the military money on investment in defense and army modernization.

Caretaker ministers also decided that an official Bulgarian position on the Ukraine crisis would be voiced at the the NATO meeting.

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