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

Outgoing Minister of Defense: By 2028, Bulgaria should have a squadron of F-16s

Bulgaria's outgoing Minister of Defense Dragomir Zakov
Photo: Ministry of Defense

An offer for the new F-16 aircraft is expected to be received from the US soon, outgoing Minister of Defense Dragomir Zakov said for bTV. In his words, the first eight fighter jets ordered are already on the assembly line. 

"By 2028the country should have a squadron of F-16 aircraft, Minister Zakov added. At the moment, there is no direct military threat for Bulgaria stemming from the war in Ukraine, Dragomir Zakov said. "Bulgaria is well protected within NATO", outgoing Minister Zakov added, predicting that the war will end at the negotiating table. Dragomir Zakov also said that the salaries of the servicemen and civilians in Bulgaria’s defense system will increase between 16% and 25%.




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

Significant cloudiness and precipitation in the mountains and eastern regions

On Thursday , the lowest temperatures will be between 4 and 9°C; in Sofia – about 4°C. During the day, there will be significant cloudiness over many regions of the country. There will be light rainfall in places in the southeastern..

published on 10/15/25 7:30 PM

Sofia reports 10% rise in tourist arrivals in 2025

Between January and September 2025, Bulgaria’s capital recorded a 10% increase in tourist arrivals and a 6% rise in overnight stays compared with the same period in 2024, according to data from the Unified Tourist Information System (ESTI). The municipal..

published on 10/15/25 6:09 PM

Unemployment in Bulgaria remains low

Bulgaria’s Employment Agency reported a stable labour market in September, with the registered unemployment rate standing at 5.06%, down from 5.2% in August. Around 17,000 people found jobs through labour offices during the month, nearly 3,000 of..

published on 10/15/25 5:57 PM