Defense Minister Discusses New Radars and Budget Challenges for Bulgaria's Armed Forces

Bulgaria has initiated discussions on acquiring new radars, according to Defense Minister Atanas Zapryanov. The Minister highlighted that the current state of the country’s armed forces, particularly the gaps in equipment and readiness, poses significant concerns for national security. He emphasized that these issues are already threatening the overall preparedness of the military. Despite these challenges, both President Rumen Radev and Minister Zapryanov agree on the urgent need for increased funding to strengthen defense capabilities.

President Radev expressed concerns that the available budget would not be sufficient to fully meet Bulgaria's defense goals. He stressed that while the country must focus on securing its defense, current financial constraints remain a serious obstacle. On the other hand, Zapryanov noted that while the defense budget allocation, at 2.09% of GDP, along with funds from equipment provided to Ukraine, would cover necessary expenses such as salaries and existing contracts, it still falls short of addressing Bulgaria’s full capability needs. He also mentioned that the NATO summit in The Hague would soon determine whether the target for defense spending would increase to 2.5% or even 3% of GDP for member states.

As part of the ongoing efforts to address military shortfalls, Chief of Defense Admiral Emil Eftimov outlined recruitment efforts for the Land Forces as a priority for 2025. He described 2024 as a challenging but successful year for the Bulgarian army. Meanwhile, President Radev proposed incorporating military training into the school curriculum, drawing inspiration from Poland, where such training has been made mandatory for secondary school students.

Zapryanov acknowledged that this idea is still under discussion but explained that coordination with various government ministries is necessary before moving forward. The proposal remains outside the current government’s program, but discussions are underway with relevant departments. The goal is to lay the groundwork for introducing military training for certain categories of citizens as part of employment requirements in specific state institutions.

However, the initiative to introduce mandatory military training for state employees has faced resistance. Some ruling party members and the Ministry of Interior are blocking the proposal. The Ministry of Defense had suggested mandatory training for citizens working in professions involving weapons, such as personnel within the Ministry of Interior and judiciary security. Despite these plans, there has been opposition from within the coalition government, particularly from certain political forces and departments, including the Ministry of Interior, which raised concerns about the impact on recruitment.

Zapryanov refrained from naming the political party opposing the measure but noted that the ongoing discussions would continue to explore a path forward. While the Ministry of Interior remains a key point of contention, Zapryanov emphasized the need for greater alignment between departments involved in such matters before presenting a unified proposal to political parties.