Bulgaria Requests to Enter Germany's Group of NATO Framework Nations

Caretaker Defense Minister Velizar Shalamanov has sent a letter to German counterpart Ursula von der Leyen to voice Bulgaria's willingness to join NATO's concept of "framework nations".

The move was announced by the Defense Ministry's press office.

Under the concept, nations are encouraged to voluntarily form groups and use them to create a common platform for maintenance and upgrade of military capabilities.

It also envisages that leading Alliance members should grant a "framework" for the other states within which the latter should pursue deeper development of certain specific elements.

The concept should provide allies with a tool to manage more efficiently those priority capabilities that should be at NATO's disposal.

Shalamanov has proposed that Bulgaria enter the group led by Germany.

He believes the country could contribute in areas such as joint preparation and military drills, participation in command and headquarter structures for planning and conducting NATO operations and medical teams.