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

2023 Defense Status Report: Bulgarian army faces staffing shortages

Photo: armymedia.bg

Urgent measures are needed to prepare the reserve in peacetime, recommends the 2023 Defense Status Report. The document has been adopted by the government and tabled in parliament for approval. Within a year, she staffing shortage in the army increased from 19% to 21%. The shortage of officers is 26% and the shortage of sailors is 27%. The voluntary reserve is only 16%. In 15 years, the reserve will be completely depleted, the report reads. It recommends a public debate on the possible introduction of compulsory military training.

 Among the reasons for the shortage of military personnel are "malicious information campaigns regarding Russia's war against Ukraine." "For the majority of young people, the military profession is unattractive due to the hardships and deprivations, the risks, the poor conditions and the outdated weaponry," the document states. 1/4 of the candidates for military service fail to meet the required standards during the medical examinations.




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

Construction of railway connection between Sofia and Skopje resumes

Deputy Prime Ministers and Ministers of Transport Grozdan Karadzhov and Aleksandar Nikoloski signed an agreement in Gyueshevo for the construction of a railway tunnel between Bulgaria and the Republic of North Macedonia. The facility..

published on 11/6/25 3:04 PM
Natalia Nikolova

Police neutralises channel for trafficking illegal migrants from Turkey to Serbia

The police have neutralized an organized crime group that transported migrants from Burgas through Sofia to the Serbian border, Sofia District Prosecutor Natalia Nikolova said at a briefing. She indicated that 13 addresses were..

published on 11/6/25 1:25 PM

Every third Bulgarian is ready to defend democracy, every fifth the homeland: survey

Democracy is consistently perceived by a solid majority in Bulgarian society as the best form of governance. Approximately 1.5 million citizens declare their willingness to risk their personal security to protect it, according to a representative study..

published on 11/6/25 11:53 AM