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Bulgaria's Defence Minister says Bulgaria should turn from a consumer into a security provider

Defence Minister Dragomir Zakov
Photo: BGNES

If circumstances require, Bulgaria will have to work seriously with its NATO allies, Defence Minister Dragomir Zakov said after the NATO emergency meeting. "There is no way we can fill deficits without working with our NATO allies on our territory," he stressed. Dragomir Zakov described as "critical" the situation in the Bulgarian Air Force and added that in the long run Bulgaria would have to turn from a security consumer into a security provider.

The Minister did not rule out the possibility of Bulgaria requesting an increase in the Alliance's presence in the event of a deepening conflict in Ukraine. 
"If the crisis develops and directly threatens Bulgaria, there are measures for a serious presence on Bulgarian territory," he said. According to him, we are currently relying on a battle group with a multinational element, led by Bulgaria and under the control of the Commander-in-Chief of NATO forces in Europe. 
Requests to join the battle group from a number of countries will be announced soon, the minister said.



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