Amendments to the Defense Act: Support from the Defense Committee

The Defense Committee supported, on first reading, amendments to the Defense and Armed Forces Act of the Republic of Bulgaria. The decision, which will change key aspects of the defense organization, was taken with a majority of 18 votes "for" and only two "against".

The revision of the law is of critical importance for adapting the armed forces to modern challenges and threats. The proposed changes introduce explicit regulations that define the activity of the Supreme Command. This aims to optimize decision-making and coordination in the event of a crisis.

A significant part of the changes concerns the authorization of the use of weapons and/or technical means by the armed forces. The new provisions allow for action against unmanned autonomous systems and other similar means. This is of key importance for the protection and defense of military facilities, permanent deployment points, military formations, equipment and ship platforms. It is important to note that this protection also extends to objects located outside traditional permanent deployment points, which signals a change in military doctrine.

In addition, the changes provide for the introduction of a new category – "college students". In parallel, the possibility of maintaining an electronic register of cadets and college students is provided for. This will modernize administrative processes and improve the efficiency of training and management of personnel in the field of defense.