Sega contends in a front-page headline that the Ministry of Defense is short of cash for new appointments while job contests are underway for 500 openings. According to an unnamed source the problem is that 6 million euro has been taken from the money for wages and has been spent on increased rations of the army and of civilian staff of the Ministry, as of early April. On 15 March, the minister of defense said that until then the Interior Ministry staff was being paid 120 leva (60 euro) a month for food, while army staff was being paid 90 leva (45 euro) but that the amounts would be equalized. Sega remarks that the financial problem arises at a time when the army has made a fresh attempt to recruit personnel for its emptying ranks and that its fighting capacity is at stake after the failure to recruit nearly 740 soldiers in 2016.
In the meantime, there have been personnel changes at top positions of the Ministry of Defense recently, as the caretaker administration term is running out, the newspaper explains. Former defense minister Todor Tagarev was released on Friday from his post as Director of the Bulgaria Defense Institute. Sources from the Defense Ministry report that Tagarev has been released over "replacement of tactical and technical assignments"in theprojects for purchasing a new type of fighter and armored vehicles for the Land Forces. The personnel change took place after Gerb, the party that won the snap elections, called on the caretaker government to end all political dismissals and appointments. It has also transpired that caretaker Defense Minister Stefan Yanev has appointed the head of his office Rumen Vasilev to act as permanent secretary of defense – the highest civil post at the Ministry of Defense. A few urgent job contests are reportedly underway at the Ministry for key positions, and the deadlines for their completion have been fixed ahead of the new government’s taking office. Finally, Sega recalls that Gerb has warned that all unscrupulous appointments made by the caretaker administration will be revised by the new government.
Compiled by Stoimen Pavlov
English Daniela Konstantinova
With two flights of the government Airbus in two days, the Bulgarian state managed to evacuate 169 Bulgarians and their families from Lebanon after the escalation of tensions there. "Thank God we're back, " says one of the Bulgarians with..
Trust in NATO (40.1%) and the EU (59.5%) in Bulgaria has increased by 8 and 5 percent respectively in comparison to 2023, according to a study by Gallup International Balkan on attitudes towards the two organizations. Speaking to..
At the invitation of his German counterpart Annalena Berbock, minister Ivan Kondov participated in the meeting of foreign ministers of the countries of the Berlin Process. At the forum in Berlin, Kondov pointed out the importance of..
''The second evacuation flight from Lebanon will be carried out today around noon, provided the circumstances are favorable'', caretaker Premier Dimitar..
The Kalotina border checkpoint on the border with Serbia has already been renovated and has a nearly 30% increased capacity for passenger cars. It has..
At present, there is no information indicating a threat to the security of Bulgarian citizens. However, enhanced security measures have been taken in..
+359 2 9336 661