President Georgi Purvanov has promulgated the newly adopted Defence Act that envisages radical change in the leadership of the Bulgarian armed forces, the presidency's press office has announced, as quoted by Bulgarian-language Dnevnik daily on May 7 2009.

The bill was adopted by Parliament at the end of April 2009 amid Purvanov's concerns that it increased political control over the army at the expense of civil control.

On May 6 2009 - Bulgarian Army Day - Purvanov told reporters that he had a "different idea" regarding civil control over the military than that implied by the bill.

"We now have a situation that might result in strong political control over the army. I hope to God that I am wrong," he said.

This statement prompted media speculation that Purvanov might not promulgate it and would return it to Parliament.

The new act limits to some extent Purvanov's powers as commander-in-chief by strengthening the powers of the Defence Ministry. It also introduces a so-called integration model of command in Bulgaria's armed forces.

The latter means an integration of the current political and military command into one structure within the Defence Ministry. The army's chief of staff is replaced by a commander of defence who will be appointed by the president at the request of the Government.

Because of this the bill provides for abolishing some structures within the Defence Ministry and the Army Chief of Staff that have overlapping powers.

Another new feature is the overhaul of the ranking system within the army. When the bill was adopted on April 29 2009 Defence Minister Nikolai Tsonev described it as the end of reform in Bulgaria's armed forces.