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

The army now has the right to shoot down drones in peacetime

Atanas Zapryanov
Photo: BTA

The parliament has adopted amendments to the Defence Act. They expand the possibilities for declaring a state of emergency and activating the armed forces. The possibility of using weapons against drones in the protection and defence of military facilities, equipment and ships is also introduced.

With the amendments, in peacetime, the armed forces will perform deterrence tasks in accordance with the plans for operations and the assumed alliance obligations. "Deterrence" is a complex of activities in peacetime to convince a potential aggressor that the negative consequences and losses from aggressive actions would exceed many times the possible benefits for the aggressor, the MPs wrote in the law.

Minister of Defence Atanas Zapryanov rejected the suggestion that the term "deterrence" places the armed forces under direct subordination to NATO and pointed out that national command is preserved until the parliament approves Art. 5 of the NATO Treaty on activation of collective defence.

Editor: Ivo Ivanov

Publication in English: Al. Markov

Photo: BTA



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

A warning for dangerous rainfall has been issued for 12 regions in Southern Bulgaria

On Friday, the lowest temperatures will be between 4°C and 9°C, reaching up to 12°C in the southeast, around 6°C in Sofia . During the next 24 hours, the weather will remain cloudy. It will rain in almost the entire country. During the day, rainfall..

published on 11/27/25 6:45 PM

Varna mayor Blagomir Kotsev released pending trial on €102,258 bond

The Varna District Court has released the city’s mayor, Blagomir Kotsev, on a financial bond of €102,258. Before the court’s decision was announced, supporters of the mayor and members of the We Continue the Change party gathered outside the..

published on 11/27/25 5:37 PM

Three detained and five police officers injured at last night's protest in Sofia

Three people, including an Italian citizen, were arrested during last night's protest against the adoption of the 2026 budget in front of the National Assembly, the director of the Sofia Directorate of Internal Affairs, Chief Commissioner Lyubomir..

published on 11/27/25 3:50 PM