Podcast in English
Text size
Bulgarian National Radio © 2025 All Rights Reserved

16 EU countries, including Bulgaria, will increase defense spending through higher budget deficit

Photo: BGNES

16 EU countries will ask to be allowed to temporarily not apply the rules on budgetary stability in order to be able to make defense spending. Bulgaria is among them, BTA reports. The European Commission presented a White Paper on the future of European defense, in which it proposes, as an exceptional measure, that member states use up to 1.5 percent of their GDP for 4 years on military spending, without fear of violating the budget rules that set a ceiling on deficits and government debts.

Belgium, Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Germany, Estonia, Greece, Croatia, Latvia, Lithuania, Hungary, Poland, Portugal, Slovenia, Slovakia and Finland have decided to request the activation of this clause, the 27 said in a communiqué.

At its last meeting, the Bulgarian government approved a decision to request the European Commission to activate the clause allowing for extraordinary defense financing for Bulgaria. This will allow the allocation of up to 3% of GDP for defense and rearmament of the Bulgarian army.



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

Rumen Radev

President Radev: No concessions for Skopje on EU accession

Bulgaria will not make any concessions to the Republic of North Macedonia in order for Skopje to start negotiations on the country's membership in the European Union. This was reiterated by President Rumen Radev in Warsaw , where he took part in the..

published on 4/29/25 4:05 PM

Authorities announce intermittent traffic closures on Danube bridge near Ruse due to road works

On Wednesday 30 April, between 8am and 5pm, traffic on the Danube bridge near Ruse will be stopped periodically at short intervals, the Road Infrastructure Agency (RIA) announced. The temporary restriction is due to asphalt paving work on a closed 413..

published on 4/29/25 2:58 PM

Farmers' union urges action to support agriculture

In an open letter to Prime Minister Rosen Zhelyazkov and the Ministers of Agriculture, Finance and Economy, the Bulgarian Farmers' Union calls for new financial mechanisms to support, revitalise and stimulate Bulgarian agriculture . The appeal is driven..

published on 4/29/25 2:36 PM