Bulgaria to strive to reduce dependence on Russian weapons: minister

Bulgaria would strive to reduce its total dependence on Russian weapons, but it's still unclear what equipment would replace it, the country's Defense Minister Nikolay Nenchev said here on Monday.

"Bulgaria is perhaps the only country in NATO, which is almost 100 percent dependent on Russia, and it should not look that way," Nenchev told a press conference.

Bulgaria had incompatibilities and difficulties in joint actions and exercises with NATO, he said.

"So we will strive to minimize dependence on Russia and other countries outside NATO of course," Nenchev said.

However, it was not clear yet "what equipment we will purchase and where," the minister said.

He added that a program for the development of defense capabilities worth about 4 billion BGN (some 2.28 billion U.S. dollars) has been submitted for approval to the government.

Meanwhile, he said in late February he received an invitation to visit the United States, where he would hold talks about the supply of fighter jets and other weaponry.

Last Monday, Bulgaria's Consultative Council on National Security called for greater defense spending and modernizing of the country's army in accordance with NATO standards, amid the "deterioration of the security environment." Endit