Podcast in English
Text size
Bulgarian National Radio © 2024 All Rights Reserved

Defense Minister: Reinstatement of mandatory service could be on the agenda if vacancies in the army are not filled

Photo: BTA

For now, we do not envisage and do not propose to the Bulgarian parliament to return the conscription military service, Caretaker Minister of Defense Atanas Zapryanov told BNR. He expressed the hope that with the increase in the salaries of the military personnel from next year, the interest in the army will also increase in order to fill the vacant positions.

"In this way, we stimulate voluntary military service", emphasized the minister. However, he specified that if the measure does not lead to a change in the near future, the issue of the return of mandatory military service may be on the agenda in Bulgaria as well.

Minimum defense spending should rise to 2.5% of the GDP, said Atanas Zapryanov. "The Russian aggression against Ukraine generates a need for much greater capabilities and this leads to an increase in military spending in some countries," he reasoned.

Regarding the military aid we provide to Ukraine, the minister said that all the necessary armaments and equipment for our army is available. 



Последвайте ни и в Google News Showcase, за да научите най-важното от деня!
Listen to the daily news from Bulgaria presented in "Bulgaria Today" podcast, available in Spotify.

More from category

Rain and snow expected on Christmas Day

On Wednesday, cold air will invade the country from the north-northeast. It will be cloudy. Rain is in the forecast for almost all Bulgarian regions. There will be significant precipitation in some places. It will snow in the Pre-Balkans and on..

published on 12/24/24 5:20 PM
 Petar Teodosiev

Bulgarian scientists start work on a project for cleaner transport and energy

From the beginning of 2025, Bulgarian scientists will work on a large-scale project related to hydrogen and hydrogen technologies to help develop cleaner transport and energy, science communicator Petar Teodosiev said in an interview for BNR.  In his..

published on 12/24/24 4:26 PM
Professor Rumen Popov

The number of blood donors increases

One thousand more blood donations were made in the past year at the Center for Transfusion Hematology of the Military Medical Academy, the medical institution reported. "The number of blood donors exceeded 7,000 – half of them are civilian..

published on 12/24/24 3:53 PM