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Defence Minister Atanas Zapryanov outlines plans to modernise Bulgaria's defence capabilities

Caretaker defence minister Atanas Zapryanov
Photo: BGNES

One urgent project is the dredging of the port of Varna to give it the necessary depth to accommodate the country's new warships, Defence Minister Atanas Zapryanov said in an interview with the daily 24 Chasa. Mr Zapryanov is continuing consultations begun by his predecessor, Todor Tagarev, on the temporary stationing in Bulgaria of NATO's mobile air and anti-ship defence units. The Minister emphasised that Bulgaria's air defence is provided by the S-300 and S-200 complexes. 

Minister Zapryanov listed other tasks to be completed: the construction of a communications system for the land forces, the establishment of a headquarters for a multinational division, the project for the acquisition of drones, the modernisation of the Graf Ignatyevo airbase to accommodate the new F-16s, and the construction of infrastructure for Stryker armoured vehicles.



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