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
The Constitutional Court has opened a case following the request by President Rumen Radev for the amendments to the Constitution, endorsed by the 49 th National Assembly, to be declared unconstitutional. These amendments concern the lifting of the..
On Friday, the wind from the south will increase and will be moderate and strong, near the northern slopes of the mountains of southern Bulgaria stormy wind is expected Clouds will be patchy, significant over the western areas, but will quickly begin..
According to an analysis by the Electricity System Operator, a shortage of electricity is expected as early as January and February next year. At a thematic conference organized by the Center for the Study of Democracy in Sofia, Delyan Dobrev from..
“It’s time to lift internal border controls now,” European Commissioner for Home Affairs Ylva Johansson believes. In an interview with RFE/RL she..
The Constitutional Court has opened a case following the request by President Rumen Radev for the amendments to the Constitution, endorsed by the 49 th..
Romania and Bulgaria have a chance to join the Schengen area by land as of January 2025 , Hungarian Interior Minister Sándor Pinter said after an..
Mostly Cloudy
Partly cloudy, chance of rain
Partly Cloudy
Partly cloudy, chance of snow