Radev Returned Defense Law for Discussion

President Rumen Radev returned for reconsideration in the National Assembly key provisions from the newly adopted Law on Amendments and Supplements to the Defense and Armed Forces of the Republic of Bulgaria Act. The announcement was disseminated by the presidential press secretariat, provoking an immediate reaction in political circles.

In his motivation for returning the law, President Radev emphasizes that despite the steps taken in the right direction, which aim to improve coordination between the responsible institutions in the field of defense and to establish clear rules for the activities of the Supreme Command, there are areas that require further attention.

The President notes the need to refine a number of aspects, including the regulation of the retirement age for military service, measures to stimulate the development of academic staff, and improvement of procedures for the distribution of working hours of military personnel, its accounting and compensation, as well as the order for the use and postponement of leave. At the same time, according to the statement, these changes should not be at the expense of the interests and rights of military personnel.

The adopted changes to the Defense and Armed Forces Act provide for an increase of two years in the retirement age for military personnel who have not exercised their right to a pension under the conditions of the Social Security Code. In addition, the amendments include specific rules defining the activities of the Supreme Command and provide a definition of the concept of "deterrence" of military threats. According to the adopted texts, in peacetime, the armed forces perform deterrence tasks in accordance with strategic action plans, operational plans, and the assumed allied commitments arising from international treaties and agreements.

At the same time, the parliament allowed the use of weapons and/or technical means by the armed forces against unmanned autonomous systems in ensuring the security and defense of military facilities, permanent deployment points, military formations, equipment and ship platforms located outside the established permanent deployment points.