"The Bulgarian army is currently 5,600 soldiers short. One of the reasons is the low starting salary of 608 Leva a month," said Defence Minister Krasimir Karakachanov. In his words the most serious problem is that around 30-40 percent of the people applying for professional soldiers are unfit for reasons of health or education.
He added that before a conscription army can be reinstated, for which he says he will be supported by GERB party, the number of military education classes at school must be increased and voluntary service introduced.
Karakachanov says further that the EU is not ready to set up a single defence structure, an idea Bulgaria supports:
"Bulgaria is in favour of the formation of such a defence structure but that is a process. Seeing as we have NATO, this compatibility must be looked into, how a European defence will fit into the picture. There are European countries which are not members of NATO. There are European countries which are more skeptical, others are more enthusiastic like France and Germany."
The largest archaeological campaign ever conducted on Perperikon has begun, BTA reports. Prof. Nikolay Ovcharov, head of the research at the site for nearly 25 years, says that the campaign is held under the title "Will Roman statues..
Thursday will be sunny and hot. There will be more clouds in the afternoon, but short rainfalls are expected in few places. The lowest temperatures will be between 17 and 25°C; in Sofia about 18°C. The highest will be between 34 and..
The number of healthcare specialists in Bulgarian hospitals is drastically decreasing. According to data presented during the National Meeting of Nurses on July 10 in Sofia, the number of healthcare professionals in Bulgarian hospitals has decreased..
The largest archaeological campaign ever conducted on Perperikon has begun, BTA reports. Prof. Nikolay Ovcharov, head of the research at..
After 17 MPs from the Movement for Rights and Freedoms, MRF, were expelled, among them the party’s other co-chair Dzevdet Chakarov, MRF MP Ahmed..
Greece’s Minister of Defence Nikos Dendias announced that Greece, Bulgaria and Romania are to establish a military mobility corridor in NATO’s Eastern..
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