Podcast in English
Text size
Bulgarian National Radio © 2026 All Rights Reserved

Filling military vacancies - a key objective in the defence sector 

Photo: BTA

Filling the large number of vacancies in the armed forces and improving their social status and motivation is the main objective of the Governance Programme for the period 2025-2029 in the "Defence" sector .

Other expected outcomes of this programme include the technological upgrading and modernisation of the armed forces, as well as increasing operational compatibility with allies. In addition, defence spending is planned to reach 2.5% of GDP.

"The exodus from the army has stopped," said Defence Minister Atanas Zapryanov. According to him, the increase in military salaries is proving effective, but a social package is also needed. "Initial recruitment to military schools is approaching 70% of available places," he added.

The document also reveals the need to establish a NATO multinational division headquarters in Bulgaria, as well as the so-called "military Schengen" to improve military mobility.



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

Government resumes talks with unions and employers after freezing the 2026 budget

'The dialogue between employers and trade unions has been restored. Consultations will begin tomorrow at the Ministry of Finance to iron out all the details. The state is committed to supporting every Bulgarian citizen.' This was written by GERB leader..

published on 11/27/25 2:55 PM

NSI: Bulgarians' international travel increased 15% last year

Bulgarian citizens traveled abroad 829,300 times in October, which is 15% more than in October 2024 , according to the National Statistical Institute. The most popular destinations were Turkey, Greece, Serbia, Romania, Germany, North Macedonia,..

published on 11/27/25 2:39 PM

State-owned enterprises to combat corruption through an integrity officer

The National Assembly has introduced a new requirement for state-owned enterprises to implement corruption risk management systems, which will also include appointing an integrity officer. The measure is recommended by the Organisation for Economic..

published on 11/27/25 1:30 PM