“The fundamental principle I shall be following is the principle of upgrading,” said caretaker Minister of Defence Atanas Zapryanov at his inauguration ceremony, and thanked his predecessor Todor Tagarev for the latter’s contribution to the sector. Minister Zapryanov stated that promoting the country’s defence capacities and Bulgaria’s contribution within the frameworks of NATO remain priorities for the ministry. Atanas Zapryanov stated further that he will continue the assistance for Ukraine. “The battle being waged in Ukraine is also a battle for our own national interests,” Minister Zapryanov said.

Todor Tagarev presented the results from the past 10 months, including an increase in defence spending, which has gone up from EUR 1.3 billion euro in 2022 to EUR 2.1 billion this year.