Filling the reserve in the Bulgarian army is complicated, announced the caretaker Defence Minister Atanas Zapryanov. The military authorities are trying to fill it through temporary service in the voluntary reserve. Reservists will be attracted by higher pay and modernisation of weapons. 

The old Soviet-era weaponry puts young people off, an opinion poll shows, the minister was quoted as saying by the daily 24 Chasa. 

"If this does not help, we will think of other measures. We are not talking about bringing back compulsory conscription, but about preparing citizens to defend their homeland. It is related to certain categories of civil servants for whom the compulsory military training requirement may be introduced," the minister said. According to him, before becoming civil servants, military training will be given to those willing to work in the structures of the Ministry of Interior and the Ministry of Justice.