The decline in the number of personnel in the Bulgarian Army continues and so far there have been no prospects of overcoming the problem. In recent years the Defense Ministry has regularly announced competitions for jobs in the military. The number of applicants has been decreasing and from 5-6 candidates competing for one place in 2013 the number has fallen below 1 candidate for one place in 2018, according to data from the Ministry of Defense, as quoted by the electronic edition Mediapool under the Access to Public Information Act. More than 5,700 army positions remain vacant. The most serious problem emerges in the Land Forces, where 25% of the jobs are vacant. In the Air Force, this percentage is 12, and in the Navy - 14.

The fact that last year the number of newly-recruited military is higher than the number of those who left, gives some reasons for optimism. In 2019 there are funds available for attracting some 800 soldiers. The problem, however, is whether there will be enough candidates. In December 2018, for example, there was a job competition in the Land Forces for 253 positions. More than 130 people applied, out of whom 105 were approved. Many of the candidates for military service were rejected because health reasons but they were few who failed in a general knowledge test. In some places, chronic shortage of staff has been causing dissatisfaction among military who complain that they cannot fulfill their duties under these conditions, and at the same time they are given more and more tasks in connection with border guarding and peacekeeping.

Low payment is the main reason for the weak interest in military professions. Although this year, military salaries rise averagely by 10 to 15 percent, they remain lower than those of the police. In comparison to NATO countries the Bulgarian military receive the lowest salaries. A private, for example, receives a salary ranging between 420 and 440 euro a month. Among the other problems that repulse candidates are vague criteria for growing in the hierarchy, lack of predictability, declining reputation of the profession, etc.

Against this backdrop, Defense Minister Krassimir Karakachanov plans to implement his idea of ​​introducing a voluntary service, Mediapool said. Initially, his party VMRO promised the return of compulsory military service, but after the coalition partner GERB did not adopt the idea as a priority, the military minister became content with voluntary service. However, the law to regulate it has not yet been publicly disclosed and it is not clear what the specific proposals are. So far, it is known that the introduction of 6 to 9 months of voluntary service is planned depending on the expertise. Those who have gone through this service will enter the reserve, and some of them may also enter real service. Social security privileges are also envisaged for entry into the security sector.

According to the sector's observers, the idea of ​​the Minister of Defense has many flaws. Its implementation means that serious financial resources would be invested in people who would not continue to serve in the army. These funds could instead be aimed at increasing the salaries of professional soldiers, which are the main problem behind the lack of serious interest in the profession, Mediapool wrote.

Editor: Manuel Savov

English: Alexander Markov