Podcast in English
Text size
Bulgarian National Radio © 2024 All Rights Reserved

Civilians in Bulgaria can undergo military training

Photo: BGNES

The Strategic Defence Review will recommend a study on the possibility for civilians to receive military training, interim Defence Minister Atanas Zapryanov said. 

The latest defence report recommends urgent legislative measures to create conditions for peacetime training of the military reserve. In the period 2010-2020, it decreased by 43% and the trend continues by 5-7% every year. If this rate continues, in 15 years' time Bulgaria's military reserve will be completely exhausted. 
Another problem highlighted in the report is progressive ageing. In 2020, reservists under the age of 35 accounted for only 5% of the total number of reservists, those under 45 years of age accounted for 46% and those over 45 - 49%. 

"We are not in a hurry to propose compulsory training of citizens to defend the Fatherland, as we need an analysis. This will come into the strategic review as a guideline to be further explored," the military minister summed up. 



Последвайте ни и в Google News Showcase, за да научите най-важното от деня!
Listen to the daily news from Bulgaria presented in "Bulgaria Today" podcast, available in Spotify.

More from category

A protest against the lawlessness on the roads held in Sofia

The association "Angels on the Road", uniting families who lost their loved ones in road traffic accidents, held a motorcade and a pedestrian march in Sofia under the slogan "STOP lawlessness on the roads". They were supported by a number of NGOs...

published on 5/23/24 5:08 PM

CEC designates 769 polling stations in 60 countries for the parliamentary elections on June 9

The Central Election Commission has designated the establishment of 769 polling stations in 60 countries for the forthcoming parliamentary elections on June 9. The highest number of polling stations is in Turkiye – 166, followed by the United..

published on 5/23/24 4:42 PM

Pope Francis wishes Bulgarians health prosperity and more children 

Pope Francis wishes Bulgarians health prosperity and more children  Bulgarian President and the Pope call for an end to bloodshed in Gaza and Ukraine A Bulgarian delegation led by President Rumen Radev is visiting the Vatican, where they were received..

published on 5/23/24 2:59 PM