There are no delays or identified obstacles to the implementation of the project for the development of combat and reconnaissance drones in Bulgaria. This was announced by the Minister of Innovation and Digital Transformation, Ivan Vasilev, before the Parliamentary Committee on Innovation and Digital Transformation.

He was responding to a question raised by the GERB-UDF parliamentary group regarding the progress of the competition procedure for selecting developers of unmanned aerial vehicles for the needs of the armed forces, which began last year. "There is no delay or any other obstacle to the process. It is progressing at a normal pace and, at this moment, no difficulties have been identified," Vasilev said.

The Minister pointed out that it is necessary to foster connections with technology entrepreneurs and support innovation, particularly in drones and dual-use products. According to him, defense innovation is a shared topic among several government departments. "It is a commitment of the ministry to maintain close ties and interaction with the Ministry of Economy, Investments and Industry and the Ministry of Defense on this topic," he stated.

Minister Vasilev added that efforts are being made to accelerate mechanisms for promoting the research and development activities of Bulgarian companies and for bringing their products to market. He also addressed other topical questions from members of parliament.