Nikolay Nenchev

Bulgaria could deploy up to 1000 troops at its borders to help police if a worsening crisis in Syria leads to increased migrant flow out of the war-torn country, Bulgarian Defence Minister Nikolay Nenchev has said.

The Bulgarian parliament ratified on Friday the intergovernmental agreement with Poland on the repair of six of the country's MiG-29 fighter jets.

At first reading, the agreement was approved by 133 MPs out of the 177 lawmakers present in the plenary chamber, with 42 being against.

The Bulgarian parliament will finally discuss the ratification of the intergovernmental agreement with Poland on the repair of six of the country's MiG-29 fighter jets.

This is the first point on the agenda of the parliamentary sitting on Friday, with the discussion having already been postponed twice.

Lawmakers in Bulgaria are to put to a final vote a deal signed with Poland on the repair of the country's MiG-29 fighter jets.

MPs are widely expected to ratify the deal which will send six MiG-29 engines to be overhauled in Polish facilities.

The document was signed in October during a visit by Defense Minister Nikolay Nenchev to Poland.

Bulgarian MPs will decide on the repair of the country's MiG-29 fighter jets at an extraordinary plenary sitting on November 24.

At their sitting on Tuesday, the MPs are expected to vote on the ratification of the intergovernmental agreement between Bulgaria and Poland on the repair of six Bulgarian engines.

It will be difficult to establish the origin of rifles allegedly used in the deadly attacks in Paris last week which according to some reports were made in Bulgaria.

This is what Defense Minister Nikolay Nenchev told journalists on Thursday after public broadcaster BNT claimed, citing its own "well-acquainted" sources, the weapons were manufactured in the country back in the 1980s.

Bulgaria will heighten its security measures after the series of attacks in Paris on Friday night, which claimed the lives of at least 127 people and left at least 180 others injured.

This became clear after an extraordinary high-level meeting on security and migration at the interior ministry, which had been summoned by Bulgarian Prime Minister Boyko Borisov on Saturday.

Defence Minister Nikolay Nenchev assured that lay-offs at his ministry will affect only the officials serving in the administration, with no servicemen to be dismissed.

Nenchev said this following the regular meeting of the Bulgarian government on Wednesday, daily Dnevnik informs.

A new round of talks between the Bulgarian government and trade unions on the reforms to be carried out in the Interior Ministry is expected to start on Monday.

The discussion will concern the proposed budget of the ministry for next year, which initially foresaw cuts to the social benefits of officials.

Bulgaria's Defence Minister Nikolay Nenchev said on Wednesday that there is no need to trim the social benefits granted to the members of the military as the armed forces have already completed a reorganization programme aimed at saving costs.