Podcast in English
Text size
Bulgarian National Radio © 2025 All Rights Reserved

Defence Minister Zakov: 2% of GDP for defence is insufficient, we need a higher percentage

Defence Minister Dragomir Zakov.
Photo: BGNES

The second batch of eight F-16 fighter jets could be delivered by 2027. This was said by Defence Minister Dragomir Zakov to the Defence Committee in Parliament. "We are still in talks with the American side. We have not yet reached the stage of negotiating a price offer. I expect that to happen sometime in June," he added.
The cost of the equipment that Bulgaria would have to buy is between 3 and 6.6 billion euros, Zakov said. 
2% of GDP would not be sufficient to cover the needs, so we should re-consider a higher percentage for defence, he said.



Последвайте ни и в Google News Showcase, за да научите най-важното от деня!
Listen to the daily news from Bulgaria presented in "Bulgaria Today" podcast, available in Spotify.

More from category

Band of rain to sweep across Bulgaria from west to east

On Friday, morning temperatures will range from 10 to 15°C, with 10°C in Sofia. Rain is expected in the western regions in the early hours. During the day, skies will remain cloudy as rain moves from west to east, gradually easing in the afternoon with..

published on 10/23/25 7:05 PM
Rumen Radev

Bulgaria and Vietnam should capitalise on their strategic geographic positions, says president Radev

Bulgaria and Vietnam should make the most of their strategic geographic positions – Vietnam in Southeast Asia and Bulgaria in Southeast Europe – acting as a gateway for goods and services from Asia to Europe , President Rumen Radev said on Thursday. He..

published on 10/23/25 4:03 PM

INSAIT model gives robots unprecedented 3D spatial intelligence

The Institute for Computer Science, Artificial Intelligence and Technology (INSAIT) at Sofia University ‘St. Kliment Ohridski’ has released SPEAR-1, an open-source AI model that gives industrial robots 3D spatial intelligence . The technology is..

published on 10/23/25 3:57 PM