The defense budget will continue to grow in 2027 as well, despite the strain on public finances and the need to reduce the deficit. That's according to Prime Minister Rumen Radev, who spoke to reporters at the "Slivnitsa" training center, where he watched a combat skills demonstration following the finale of the "Hawk's Eye 26" competition.
According to the prime minister, the increase isn't solely due to the current security situation — it's also a commitment made by the ruling coalition.
In early September, Defense Minister Dimitar Stoyanov announced that defense spending for 2027 is planned at 2.33% of gross domestic product.
The commitment stems from NATO's 2025 summit in The Hague, where member states agreed to gradually raise defense spending to 5% of GDP by 2035. Of that, at least 3.5% must go toward core defense needs, while up to 1.5% is earmarked for defense- and security-related investments.