Emil Eftimov

At the Novo Selo training ground today, Defense Minister Atanas Zapryanov affirmed that the recent command and staff exercise showcased the NATO Multinational Battlegroup's preparedness to scale up to brigade level if required for Bulgaria's defense.

Acting Prime Minister Dimitar Glavchev announced that the entire barrier along the Bulgarian-Turkish border is fully operational during the regular meeting of the Council of Ministers on Wednesday.

Bulgarian military personnel and colleagues paid their final respects to Lieutenant Colonel Petko Dimitrov and Captain Vencislav Dunkin, who lost their lives in the line of duty on September 13. The farewell ceremony took place at the 12th air base in Dolna Mitropolia, where the two pilots were honored with full military rites.

A ceremony will be held today at 11:00 a.m. in Asenovgrad's "Akademik Nikolay Haitov" square to mark the departure of a Bulgarian military contingent for a mission with the NATO Stabilization Force in Kosovo (KFOR), reports BNR. The event will be attended by the Chief of Defense, Admiral Emil Eftimov.

The Defense Committee has endorsed the government's proposal for Bulgaria to acquire German IRIS-T anti-aircraft missile systems. The initial phase of the project, which involves purchasing these systems, is valued at over 356 million leva. Additionally, there is the potential to procure up to five units of a different modification of the system.

The spring session of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly commenced with a call from Bulgaria to bolster NATO security in the Black Sea and the Western Balkans. The event is being hosted in Sofia.

Bulgaria's Deputy Minister of Defense Radostin Iliev and Chief of Defense Admiral Emil Eftimov are scheduled to participate in a formal ceremony tomorrow, May 21, to dispatch a military unit for deployment in the Operational Reserve Force of the NATO Stabilization Force in Kosovo (KFOR). The ceremony is set to commence at 11:00 a.m. at Georgi Izmirliev Square in Blagoevgrad.

In a recent interview with bTV, Defense Chief Emil Eftimov addressed concerns about the presence of anti-NATO sentiments within the Bulgarian military, stating unequivocally, "I wouldn't say that there are anti-NATO sentiments in the army."

Bulgaria's Defense Minister, Atanas Zapryanov, affirmed that the reintroduction of mandatory conscription is not under consideration amidst the country's ongoing efforts to modernize its armed forces and enhance military personnel remuneration.

In response to ongoing staffing challenges within the Bulgarian army, the caretaker government is exploring alternative solutions, with military training for security personnel emerging as a potential strategy.