Bulgaria adopts armed forces development program

The Bulgarian government adopted a program, Bulgarian Armed Forces 2020, on Wednesday to develop the defense capabilities of the country's armed forces, trying to balance between the budget realities and the need for modernization.

The country should develop defense capabilities amid the deepening existing and new conflicts and crises in key regions of the Bulgarian national interests, the document said.

According to the document, by 2024 the defense budget should be not less than in 2014, and would grow "in case of favorable economic conditions," the cabinet said in a press release.

The so-called program still has to be approved by the National Assembly.

Despite budgetary constraints and uncertainties, ground forces should start a process of re-equipping with new infantry fighting vehicle, the air force has to acquire a new type of combat aircraft and tricoordinate radars, while the navy needs a multifunctional patrol ship, the program said.

Under the program, the armed forces would also build and develop cyber defense capabilities, such as technical infrastructure for monitoring and evaluating cyber vulnerabilities and threats, and infrastructure for managing electronic cryptographic materials on the territory of Bulgaria.

Last year, the Bulgarian defense budget was 1.3 percent of the gross domestic product, and the country, a NATO member since 2004, still heavily relies on Soviet-made weapons. Endit