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Bulgarian army needs more money amid threats from south: deputy PM

Xinhua, February 24, 2017 Adjust font size:

The budget of the Bulgarian army should be increased due to underfunding and threats from the south, the country's Deputy Prime Minister for Internal Order and Security Stefan Yanev said here on Thursday.

After the start of the global economic and financial crisis, the budget of the Bulgarian armed forces was drastically reduced, and it was under-financed, Yanev said at a press conference.

"The army was placed under conditions of continuous stress in terms of underfunding," said Yanev, who is also minister of defense in the caretaker government.

The army was able to fulfill its duties for the defense and protection of Bulgaria, "but maybe it is time to say that we are on the edge," Yanev said.

Bulgarian people felt the threat associated with the migrant crisis and the likelihood of terrorism, he said.

According to official data, the ministry of defense budget has decreased from 2.96 percent of gross domestic product (GDP) in 2000, to 2.33 percent in 2008, and 1.22 percent in 2016. Endit