Increasing the operational compatibility between the armed forces of Bulgaria and NATO member states and partner nations has been in the focus of the one-day visit of the Deputy Chairman of NATO Military Committee, Lieutenant General Mark Schissler, in Sofia.

To achieve that goal, Bulgaria has expressed its readiness to more closely coordinate its own military drills with the exercises which NATO is conducting on the territories of other member states, the Defence Ministry said on Thursday.

The potential for stepping up the participation of army units from other NATO members and partner nations in military exercises in Bulgaria have also been discussed in Schissler’s talks with Chief of Defence, Vice-Admiral Rumen Nikolov, and Deputy Defence Minister Dimitar Kyumurdzhiev, the ministry said in a statement.

Nikolov and Kyumurdzhiev highlighted that Bulgaria is aware of the new risks and threats arising from recent changes in the strategic security environment. They also informed Schissler about the ongoing reform of the Bulgarian armed forces.