With 11 votes “for”, three votes “against” and no “abstentions”, the parliamentary defense committee approved the Draft decision on the adoption of a project for an investment expenditure “Acquisition of coastal anti-ship missile systems for the Navy”, submitted by the Council of Ministers.
The proposed project was developed in accordance with the Plan for the Development of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Bulgaria until 2026, with the Program for the Development of the Defense Capabilities of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Bulgaria 2032 and the Program for Investments in Defense until 2032, said the outgoing Minister of Defense Atanas Zapryanov, who presented the project.
The document is based on the projects proposed by the American side for two contracts – for the acquisition of a mobile coastal defense system (coastal anti-ship missile systems) and for the acquisition of a multifunctional information exchange system.
By implementing the project for the acquisition of coastal anti-ship missile systems for the Navy, the renewal and development of capabilities related to the country's maritime sovereignty is achieved, ensuring our national contribution to the Alliance, increasing security measures and participation in combat-ready formations in NATO initiatives and ending the critical dependence on Russia in the field of armaments, Zapryanov added.
The delivery should be carried out with contracts between the governments of the two countries, one of which is worth over $205 million, and the other is for nearly $3.5 million, Zapryanov added.
It is planned that the delivery of the main equipment under the first contract will be in 2030, and the equipment for information exchange will be delivered in the period 2027-2028, the outgoing minister added.
The financial resources for 2026 are within the defense expenditures for 2026, and will be provided for in the budget of the Ministry of Defense, Zapryanov added.
In response to a question from Atanas Slavov from the parliamentary group of “We Continue the Change – Democratic Bulgaria” about what the risks are for the implementation of the project if the adoption of the new state budget is delayed, the outgoing defense minister replied that if we do not ratify the contract, we will have to ask again for a postponement of the deadlines for implementation.
Asked by Dimcho Dimchev from “Vazrazhdane” whether compensations are provided if there is a delay in deliveries from the USA and what necessitates the high administrative costs in the contract, Zapryanov said that in the delivery list all countries are increasing their military spending and whoever concludes a contract earlier enters the production scheme.
The defense industry of the USA and our European allies has a limited limit and cannot produce them earlier than 2029-2030, Zapryanov added. According to the rules between the governments of the two countries, no compensation is provided, but this does not mean that the American government does not sanction the companies for delays, the outgoing defense minister added.
The sanctions are the same as for delays in deliveries to the American army. Regarding the administrative costs, Zapryanov pointed out that they are included in the total amount.
Ivo Tsanev from “DPS – New Beginning” expressed support for the project for investment expenditure, as well as for the ratification of the contracts. We want everything to happen faster, but we realize that we have a certain capacity of budgetary possibilities, Tsanev added. What is being bought, especially when there are no analogues in the EU and in the world, and provided that it is bought from the USA, gives an additional contribution to our operational compatibility.