The modernization of the Bulgarian army is affected by the lack of funds in the extended budget for 2026, which calls into question the funding of current projects, said the outgoing Minister of Defense Atanas Zapryanov on bTV.
Zapryanov emphasized that there are no funds for the second eight F-16 aircraft, the “Stryker“ armored fighting vehicles, the “Iris“ system and the ships. This necessitates renegotiation of the projects and postponement of payments.
The Minister announced the approval of the national plan under the SAFE mechanism by the EU Council on February 12, which will allow loan agreements with the European Commission. The funds should come in the form of a loan, but the extension budget does not allow it.
Zapryanov informed about the arrival of the first “Stryker“ armored fighting vehicles in Bulgaria, which will be delivered to Veliko Tarnovo. Payments under the contract must be included in the 2026 budget.
Regarding the claims of the US to Greenland, Zapryanov commented on the crisis in NATO. He expressed optimism for resolving the issue through negotiations and emphasized the need to increase security in the Arctic region.