The undersupply of defense resources is coming to an end, the Acting Minister of Defense Atanas Zapryanov said at the summit on May 6 – the Day of Courage and a holiday of the Bulgarian Army.
The assessment of the Minister of Defense on the holiday day is for optimism.
The state allocates more and more resources to defense. I hope that the next government and regular minister will continue to build and have continuity, Zapryanov told bTV.
Bulgaria is a member of NATO to enjoy the protection of the collective system. NATO has absolute military superiority over any country. We use the protection of the collective defense and are part of it. It is an absolute guarantee for our territorial integrity and independence, if we are talking about independent military defense, our military expenses should be much higher, the minister emphasized and specified: “But in order to take, we must also give.”
We need to modernize. This process has started and is running successfully, said Zapryanov.
At the end of the first quarter of next year, we expect the first F-16 fighter jets, and at the next St. George’s Day parade, I hope there will be them, the acting military minister added, noting that there will also be trained pilots.
2.5% of GDP for defense will be enough to stabilize the personnel of the army, we need spending on people, said Zapryanov.
“On this festive day, we must pay due respect to the work of the servicemen, to their impeccable service, to their readiness to protect the Motherland. And right now there are people who are on combat duty, ensuring the air and sea sovereignty of the country, there are Bulgarian servicemen, who are tasked in missions and operations overseas,” he said.
Zapryanov thanked the parliamentary parties for the decision they made to increase the salaries of military personnel. He noted that he expects the defense budget to grow to 2.5% of GDP, as are the recommendations made in the adopted Program for the Development of the Defense Capabilities of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Bulgaria – 2032. “The defense budget will grow and I believe that the budget of 2.5% of GDP for defense will be enough to stabilize the personnel of the army because the capital expenditure has already been determined and now we need investment for the people”, the defense minister pointed out.
Radev: In times of crises and wars, we cannot get used to neglecting the Bulgarian Army
Recently, we have started to get used to the frequent change of governments and parliaments, but in today’s time of crises, wars and uncertainty, we cannot afford to get used to the neglect of the Bulgarian Army, where the processes of modernization and personnel care are still moving too slowly . President Rumen Radev commented this to journalists after the celebrations in front of the monument to the Unknown Warrior in the capital on the occasion of May 6 – Day of Courage and a holiday of the Bulgarian Army.
The head of state congratulated all Bulgarians on St. George’s Day and congratulated the namesakes.
Our army has always been a pillar of statehood and of our people in the most difficult trials. Bulgarians pay well-deserved respect to their warriors. I wish all men and women with epaulettes health and strength in their responsible mission, said President Radev.
Bravery Day this year
The Day of Courage and a holiday of the Bulgarian Army was celebrated with a water-bath of battle flags and holy flags in Sofia, which was attended by the President and Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces Rumen Radev, Acting Prime Minister Dimitar Glavchev, Acting Minister of Defense Atanas Zapryanov, Chief of Defense Admiral Emil Eftimov and senior officers of the Bulgarian Army.
In front of the monument of the Unknown Warrior in the capital, the water ceremony was held by the deputy-chairman of the Holy Synod of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church, Metropolitan Grigory of Vratsa. The flag platoon of the National Guard unit with the sacred flags and representative blocks of the Armed Forces took part in the ritual. During the performance of the national anthem, 20 artillery salutes were fired.
The head of state accepted the order of honor of the representative units of the Bulgarian Army and laid a wreath in front of the monument of the Unknown Warrior, after which the solemn march of the representative blocks of the Armed Forces took place.
At the end of the solemn ritual, three MiG-29 aircraft flew over Alexander Nevsky Square.
No military parade
This year, May 6 will pass without a military parade in the center of Sofia. The Easter holidays coincide with the holiday of the Bulgarian Army, we give priority to the national celebration of Easter, explained Atanas Zapryanov at the beginning of April. “We will let the people pay homage to our God first and then their military duties,” the caretaker minister added.
Last year, around 60 combat vehicles passed through the center of the capital during the military parade, which was held for the first time since 2019.
Although there will be no parade this year, three MiG-29 fighter jets will fly over Sofia during the ceremony in front of the monument to the Unknown Warrior, to show that the Bulgarian aviation continues to protect the airspace of our country with its own national forces. Atanas Zapryanov explained a few days ago.
At 12:00 p.m., a ceremonial changing of the guard of honor will take place in front of the presidency. A little later, the president will welcome to “Dondukov” 2 young people from the student guard unit and the brass band at the Professional Technical High School “Dr. Nikola Vasiliadi” – Gabrovo, as well as the student guard units at the Professional High School for Agricultural Mechanization “Peio K Yavorov” – Gotse Delchev, Secondary School “St. St. Cyril and Methodius” – Rudozem and Municipal Youth Center – Ruse.
On the occasion of May 6, from 11:00 a.m., festive concerts of the representative military bands and the bands of the military formations were organized in the garrisons of Sofia (in the city garden in front of the National Theater, with the participation of the Guards Representative Brass Band), Plovdiv (the representative band of the Air Force in front of the Military Club in the city), Varna (the representative orchestra of the Naval Forces on Alexander Novak Square), Stara Zagora (the orchestra of military formation 24 150 in front of the Municipality building), Karlovo (the orchestra of military formation 34750 on the square in the city) and Veliko Tarnovo (the orchestra of the National Military University in front of the “Mother Bulgaria” monument).
The National Military History Museum (NMMH) will mark May 6 with free admission from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. for its permanent chronological and outdoor exhibition. Access to the temporary exhibitions will also be free. The special holiday program will open at 11:30 a.m. with a concert by the Land Forces Representative Brass Band.
With Open Doors Day, the Day of Courage will also be celebrated in the branches of NVIM – the Naval Museum and Park-Museum “Vladislav Varnenchik” in Varna and the Museum of Aviation in Krumovo.
On the day of the holiday, at 9:30 a.m., a solemn ceremony was held in the area of the Naval Base-Varna for the raising of the naval flag and the colors of the flags of the warships.
The holiday of the Bulgarian Army over the years
The Day of Bravery and the holiday of the Bulgarian Army in its current form has been celebrated since 1999. On this day, the battle flags of the Bulgarian Army are traditionally consecrated. For the first time, May 6 was celebrated as a holiday of the Bulgarian Army, confirmed as the Day of Courage by decree 5 of January 9, 1880 of Prince Alexander I, and the ceremony included a memorial service in the garrisons, congratulations and lunch for the knights of the Order of Courage ” (established by Decree 1 of January 1, 1880 of Prince Alexander I) and limited military parades, BTA recalls.
Until 1919, in addition to May 6 – Day of Courage, Day of Battle Glory was celebrated on November 27 in honor of the victory of the Bulgarian Army in the Serbo-Bulgarian War (1885). Since 1926, the Day of Courage (May 6) and the Day of Battle Glory (November 27) have been combined into the Day of Courage and Victories, celebrated on the day of St. George the Victorious (May 6).
In 1931, the Day of Valor and Victories was declared a military holiday of the Bulgarian Army, which was celebrated until 1953, when it was designated as the Day of the Bulgarian People’s Army (the anniversary of the beginning of the September Uprisings in 1923). By a decree of the Council of Ministers dated May 30, 1991, August 23 was designated as the Holiday of the Bulgarian Army in honor of the victory (1877) of the Bulgarian militia on Mount Shipka during the Russo-Turkish War of Liberation (1877-1878). . By decree of the Council of Ministers from January 27, 1993 to 1998, May 6 is celebrated as the Holiday of the Bulgarian Army.
With the Law amending and supplementing the Labor Code, adopted on May 6, 1998 by the 38th National Assembly, May 6 is celebrated as St. George’s Day, Day of Courage and the Bulgarian Army.
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