Inside Bulgaria's Easter Celebrations: Traditions Passed Through Generations
Today marks the joyous celebration of Easter, one of the most significant holidays in the Orthodox Christian calendar.
Bulgaria’s armed forces must soon reduce their dependence of Russian equipment and maintenance or face the risk of ‘catastrophic consequences,’ Velizar Shalamanov has told the BBC.
Bulgaria’s outspoken caretaker Defence Minister has drawn fire from a top Russian official earlier this month for his recent suggestion that Bulgaria must soon pick a new fighter jet to replace its ageing fleet of Soviet-made combat aircraft, choosing among second-hand F-16 or Eurofighter, or new Gripen.
The BBC highlighted that following October 5 early elections, a new government is to be formed in Bulgaria, which is “leaving Mr Shalamanov unusually free to speak his mind over the state of the armed forces.”
According to Shalamanov, “the critical area is especially air defence.”
With all Bulgarian Air Force radars and the surface-to-air missiles and jet fighters manufactured in the former Soviet Union, the maintenance, especially of the MiG-29 jets, “depends very much on overhaul of the engines and other equipment in Russia."
Shalamanov also told the BBC “mismanagement of the Bulgarian armed forces” over the past 10-15 years has resulted in “reliance on outdated Soviet-era equipment”.
That reliance, according to Shalamanov, has left Bulgaria dependent on neighbouring Greece and Romania for help in air policing its own Black Sea borders in the current NATO standoff with Russia over Moscow’s role in the Ukraine crisis.
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Bulgaria's Defense Minister, Atanas Zapryanov, affirmed that the reintroduction of mandatory conscription is not under consideration amidst the country's ongoing efforts to modernize its armed forces and enhance military personnel remuneration.
In response to ongoing staffing challenges within the Bulgarian army, the caretaker government is exploring alternative solutions, with military training for security personnel emerging as a potential strategy
Bulgaria's Parliament has taken a significant step towards acquiring eight multi-role F-16 Block 70 aircraft and associated support by ratifying Amendment No. 2 to the Letter of Agreement (LOA) BU-D-SAB.
In an announcement made on Friday, Flotilla Admiral Georgi Penev, Deputy Commander of the Bulgarian Navy, revealed plans for significant upgrades and modernization within the naval forces
Specialists from the United States have conducted an inspection of the repair work at Bulgaria's air base near Graf Ignatievo
Vazovsky Machine Building Plants (VMZ) in Sopot have achieved a remarkable milestone, recording a staggering BGN 828 million in net sales revenue for the year 2023, doubling compared to the previous year
UN Happiness Report: Bulgaria's Astonishing Leap in Rankings
Bulgaria: 3 Regions With Lowest Life Expectancy - EU Report 2022