A water blessing of the battle flags and sacred banners was held on Saint George’s Day at the Monument to the Unknown Soldier in Sofia. 

President and Supreme Commander-in-Chief of the Bulgarian Armed Forces Rumen Radev took part in the ceremony and received the guard of honor of the National Guard Units.

Representative units from the Bulgarian Land Forces, the 2nd Tundzha Mechanized Brigade, the Bulgarian Air Force, the Bulgarian Navy, the Joint Special Operations Command and military academies marched through the center of Sofia.

"Today, as we have finally parted with the illusion that membership in defense alliances, without the development of our own defense capabilities, is sufficient for ensuring security; when, at last, under pressure from our allied obligations and commitments, our Armed Forces have become a focus of the state's financial policy, we are now facing new challenges- to transform defense funding into modern military capabilities and a high level of interoperability with our allies’’, President Radev said.

He added that this requires a sharp increase in defense investments, as well as a frank dialogue between the state and the senior military leadership.

• Minister Zapryanov and Chief of Defense Eftimov congratulate Bulgarian contingents abroad on the occasion of May 6