Prime Minister Zhelyazkov to Admiral Dragone: Bulgaria to Develop New National Defence Plan

Bulgaria will develop a new National Defence Plan following the NATO Summit in The Hague. This was announced by Prime Minister Rosen Zhelyazkov during his meeting with Admiral Giuseppe Cavo Dragone, Chair of NATO’s Military Committee, who is on an official visit to Bulgaria, the government press service said on July 16.

The main topic of the discussion was the actions of the alliance member states following the NATO Summit in The Hague, including plans to increase defence investments in line with the new 5% GDP spending commitment — 3.5% for defence and 1.5% for defence-related investments.

“In conditions of prolonged instability caused by Russian aggression against Ukraine, Bulgaria continues to support the strengthening of NATO’s deterrence and defence capabilities, especially along the Alliance’s Eastern flank and in the Black Sea region,” Zhelyazkov stressed.

The Prime Minister added that Bulgaria actively participates in initiatives such as the Multinational Battle Group, with Italy as the framework country; the headquarters of the Regional Special Operations Component Command with Romania; as well as the Mine Countermeasures Naval Group in the Black Sea alongside Romania and Turkey.

Prime Minister Zhelyazkov also stated that Bulgaria will continue to support Ukraine for as long as necessary, opposing any attempts at territorial concessions that would legitimise Russia’s aggression.

The discussion also covered the role of joint European defence initiatives, including the opportunities presented by the recently published White Paper on Europe’s Defence Preparedness 2030, as well as the new European SAFE instrument. The Prime Minister expressed support for enhanced coordination between NATO and the EU and underlined the importance of industrial cooperation with the US, the UK, Canada, and partners in the Indo-Pacific region.

In the context of disinformation and hybrid threats, Prime Minister Rosen Zhelyazkov stressed that Bulgaria is targeted by aggressive Russian propaganda narratives aimed at undermining public trust and allied solidarity. For this reason, the Prime Minister called for a strengthened joint NATO response to manipulation in the information environment.