Highlghts from the meeting of the Consultative Council for National Security

Bulgaria’s President Rumen Radev convened the Consultative Council for National Security on February 15. The crisis with Ukraine, as well as the risks for the country's security, the state of the Armed Forces and the measures to be taken were the main topics of the meeting.

Bulgaria’s President convened the Consultative Council for National Security

The meeting discussed the current risks to national security, President Radev said. In his words, there is unity around the position that the ongoing conflicts and the escalation along Ukraine's border pose challenges to the region.

During the meeting, the state of armaments was updated, areas of technological backwardness and shortcomings were highlighted. The pace of modernisation of the army is not in line with the situation, the delay in the delivery of the new combat aircraft for Bulgaria’s armed forces was noted.

Radev also focused on the incompleteness of the personnel. Effective measures are needed to increase interest in the military profession and end the negative trend of leaving the profession.

Speeding up the procedures for the modernisation of the armed forces. The Executive should develop a secured investment programme up to 2032, in line with the objectives of the Bulgarian armed forces.

The Council of Ministers should update the possibility of updating the army modernisation plan adopted in 2017 for the period until 2024.