"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."
On Friday, lows will be between 10 and 15 degrees Celsius , 13°C in Sofia. Maximum temperatures will be between 26 and 31°C, 28° in the capital. During the day it will be sunny in central and eastern Bulgaria. In the west, there will be clouds and after..
The European Commission has formally warned Bulgaria, Estonia and Ireland to properly implement EU laws against racism and xenophobia, reports BNR correspondent Angelina Piskova. In its letter of formal notice, the European Commission says the three..
There is a further delay in the delivery of the next two air ambulances to Bulgaria, the Italian manufacturer has said in a letter to the Ministry of Health. In the letter, the contractor, Leonardo S.p.A., set new deadlines for the arrival of the..
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Charges of trading in influence are to be brought against Dzheyhan Ibryamov after decisions were made to strip him of his immunity from prosecution..
If the general elections were to be held at the beginning of October, 6 parties and coalitions would enter the Bulgarian parliament, a Market Links..
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