Bulgaria ranks 16^th out of all 30 NATO member states in terms of military expenditures per capita. This country places 15^th in the EU ranking and 60^th in a complex gobal ranking based on 55 criteria, data of SIPRI (Stockholm International Peace Research Institute Yearbook) 2018 shows. Bulgaria spends 1.55% of its GDP on defense. This country is far ahead of Germany, Spain, Belgium and Canada under this indicator. Bulgaria’s neighbors Greece and Turkey rank 9^th and 29^th in the 2018 ranking of Stockholm International Peace Research Institute. Romania places 40^th, Serbia occupies the 78^th position and North Macedonia places 118^th in the ranking of 136 countries. Bulgaria spends 20.3% of its defense budget on military equipment. NATO recommends that its member states should spend at least 20% of their defense budget on military equipment. 58% of Bulgaria’s military budget is spent on military staff.