Bulgaria to Boost Defense Spending to 5% of GDP by 2035

Defense Minister Atanas Zapryanov announced that Bulgaria plans to raise its defense budget to 5% of GDP. He made this statement ahead of the NATO summit scheduled to begin today in The Hague.

Zapryanov explained that the government has already adopted a decision setting the framework for upcoming discussions. Bulgaria supports the U.S. proposal for defense spending at 3.5% of GDP dedicated to military capabilities, along with an additional 1.5% aimed at infrastructure and other military-related expenses. However, this target is expected to be met by 2035, not 2032 as previously suggested. The final decision will be made by the heads of state and government.

The Defense Minister is part of the Bulgarian delegation, which is led by Prime Minister Rosen Zhelyazkov and will participate in the NATO summit.

Zapryanov also noted that member countries, including Bulgaria, will concentrate on their defense and deterrence plans during the talks, emphasizing that Bulgaria is fully engaged in these preparations.