"We need a combat-capable army that can defend us, an army of pride for the society and the servicemen," Defence Minister Dragomir Zakov said. Today he presented his team and outlined his priorities. He pointed out that Bulgaria needed to fill key military capabilities, which meant serious expenditures. 

Dragomir Zakov also said that "the only option to make our army combat capable in the short and long term" was to use the opportunities of the cooperation with NATO and the European Union.

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One of the priorities of the Minister of Defence will be to procure combat equipment for the formation of a battalion battle group with defence functions. The Italian contingent is likely to become the leading element in it, but there will be Bulgarian servicemen too and the battle group will eventually evolve to a multinational one, Dragomir Zakov explained.