Currently, there is no legal possibility for Bulgaria to redirect funds from the National Recovery and Resilience Plan to defence and the armed forces. The funds are fully intended for the agreements set out in the plan, Deputy Prime Minister Tomislav Donchev said in parliament.

The Deputy Prime Minister also announced that the country is against redirecting cohesion funds to defence and armament under the ReArm Europe plan.

“It is not right for cohesion policy funds to be redirected to armament. These funds are key to implementing other policies - building infrastructure, social cohesion, science and innovation. I am reserved about such a change,” Donchev said. A similar position was expressed by PM Rosen Zhelyazkov in Brussels at the extraordinary European Council.