A large-scale forum dedicated to the future of the national defense strategy in the context of the recent NATO meeting in The Hague was held at the Capital's Central Military Club. The event "NATO after The Hague '25: Bulgarian Dimension 2025 - 2035" was organized by the Atlantic Club in Bulgaria together with the Reserve Officers Union "Atlantic".
The annual summit in the Netherlands in June was represented by a Bulgarian delegation led by Prime Minister Rosen Zhelyazkov. It was attended by Foreign Minister Georg Georgiev, Defense Minister Atanas Zapryanov, and Defense Chief Admiral Emil Eftimov.
A key moment of the forum was emphasizing the collective defense commitment outlined in Article 5 of the North Atlantic Treaty. Allies reached an agreement to increase defense spending to 5 percent of each member state's gross domestic product by 2035.
Atlantic Club President Solomon Passy pointed out that the most serious threat to Bulgaria currently is Russian propaganda. He proposed that NATO consider creating a joint force for dealing with disasters and emergencies, emphasizing the need for the country to show greater initiative.
National Assembly Speaker Natalia Kiselova emphasized the dynamic global changes and challenges facing modern society. She noted the difficulties in motivating the younger generation in a world dominated by consumer attitudes and multiple development opportunities.
Defense Minister Atanas Zapryanov underlined the direct link between investments and defense capacity. According to presented data, the activity of Russian information platforms has increased 12 times, placing Bulgaria among the most heavily targeted countries in terms of information operations.
Foreign Minister Georg Georgiev defined NATO and the European Union as a way of life and shared reality. He emphasized that the meeting in The Hague has reinforced the alliance as more united and purposeful, with a clear mission of collective security.
Parliamentary Defense Committee Chair Hristo Gadjev presented a vision for future national projects. These include developing drone production technology by Bulgarian companies and ensuring that at least 5% of gross domestic product will be generated by the defense industry.
The forum reinforced the need for strategic rethinking of national defense policy in the context of contemporary geopolitical challenges.