The lack of regular state budget hinders the modernization of the Bulgarian Army

“Greenland is Danish, autonomous, while Crimea is Ukrainian,” Bulgaria’s outgoing Minister of Defence Atanas Zapryanov said in an interview with bTV. He explained the difference between U.S. President Donald Trump saying that Greenland is his and Vladimir Putin making the same claim about Crimea: “Crimea is illegally occupied, in violation of international law, whereas Greenland is autonomous and free, and together with Denmark is holding negotiations with the U.S. government,” the minister specified.

A strike against Iran would mean a further complication of the situation in the Middle East, Zapryanov commented. He denied that if parliament ratifies accession to the Gaza Peace Council, this would mean that Bulgaria would send its own troops to Gaza.

“The modernization of the Bulgarian Army has not stopped, but with the extended budget the funds for 2026, which are needed to pay for ongoing projects, have not been secured,” Zapryanov emphasized.

Edited by Ivo Ivanov
English version: R. Petkova