Bulgaria will increase the defense expenses considerably. “Russia is the most serious threat”
Bulgarian Defense Minister Atanas Zaprianov Photo: Arif Hudaverdi Yaman / AFP / Profimedia
Bulgaria will increase its defense expenses to 3.5% of GDP by 2032, Defense Minister Tuesday, Atanas Zaprianov, in Sofia, in a forum focused on deepening cooperation between Bulgaria and Germany, as well as on the current trends in the defense industry, transmits.
“To ensure the success of our investment projects in the field of defense, our expenses have achieved the 2% of GDP in 2024. However, it is no longer sufficient and we decided to increase our defense expenses to at least 2.5-3%, with an objective of reaching 3.5% of GDP by 2032 as a minimum level to succeed in our modernization,” Zaprianov said.
“Russia is the most serious and direct threat to Euro-Atlantic security. We must be prepared to face the long-term instability. This is particularly relevant to our regional security in the Black Sea and South-East Europe. To address today's risks and threats and tomorrow we are now focusing on the consolidation of the NATO defense. The EU, ”explained the minister.
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In order to build and improve the defense capabilities of Bulgaria, the Ministry of Defense is actively seeking cooperation with the Bulgarian defense industry and is prepared to support it, Zaprianov added.
Bulgaria will aim to use EU mechanisms to create a higher flexibility for defense expenses, while maintaining a conservative fiscal policy for its expected accession to the euro area, said Zaprianov on Monday, at the B9 Summit (Bucharest 9) of the heads of state and by the government from Vilnius.
