Acting Defence Minister Atanas Zapryanov has indicated that the delivery of Bulgaria’s second batch of eight F-16 fighter jets is likely to be postponed by approximately one year. Speaking to journalists on the sidelines of the annual conference of the Chief of Defence, he explained that the delay stems from the manufacturer’s inability to reach the targeted production rate of four aircraft per month, with current output standing at up to three.

Because of the setback, Bulgaria is renegotiating its payment schedule and will disburse only half of the initially planned amount for the aircraft this year. Zapryanov cautioned that failure to adopt a regular state budget could complicate payments not only for the F-16s but also for the Stryker armored vehicles.

The minister took part in the forum dedicated to “The Development of the Armed Forces through the Prism of Tasks in a National and Allied Format.” The event opened with a closed-door presentation of the 2025 Analysis of the State and Preparation of the Armed Forces. According to Zapryanov, the assessment concludes that the military continues to meet its constitutional responsibilities and obligations under the Law on Defence and the Armed Forces. He described the past year as one that has accelerated recruitment efforts and modernization, while also highlighting the army’s strong contribution to supporting the civilian population.

At the same time, he acknowledged that Bulgaria remains far from possessing fully modern forces compatible with NATO standards. A significant portion of the equipment in service dates back to the Soviet era and is either obsolete or no longer operational. Delays in capital investment have made reliance on the EU’s SAFE instrument necessary as a means of advancing modernization projects.

Zapryanov warned that postponing parliamentary approval of two loan agreements with the European Union could leave Bulgaria at a disadvantage, as other countries are already using the mechanism to secure production contracts. He urged lawmakers, in the event of an extended budget law, to authorize the government to conclude the relevant loan agreements so that work on nine defense projects can proceed without interruption.

The conference also addressed the need to reform military education and boost young people’s interest in defense careers. Despite recent efforts, the overall personnel shortfall in the armed forces has been reduced by just two percent. Zapryanov further underlined the requirement for new infrastructure to accommodate aircraft, naval vessels and air defense missile systems. A proposal to raise defense spending to 3.5% of GDP by 2030 has been prepared, but its adoption would depend on the formation of a regular government. Without stable funding, he warned, the modernization processes already under way risk stalling.

Earlier, President Iliana Iotova also spoke at the conference, stressing the importance of continuing work on projects approved by the European Commission under the SAFE program, which she described as essential for rearming the Bulgarian army. She noted that SAFE operates as a loan facility and emphasized the need to ensure greater involvement of Bulgaria’s domestic defense industry rather than relying solely on projects listed by the European Defence Agency. According to her, this issue has now been clarified, and attention should turn to effective implementation.

In January, Zapryanov stated that a loan under the SAFE arrangement with the European Commission would not be possible unless parliament authorizes borrowing amounting to 3.26 billion euro. Chief of Defence Admiral Emil Eftimov, for his part, argued that allocating 2.5% of GDP to defense remains insufficient to build armed forces capable of addressing today’s security challenges. Echoing that view, Zapryanov concluded that Bulgaria is still some distance from achieving fully interoperable and modern military capabilities.