The percentage of career soldiers in the Bulgarian Army must reach 70 per cent of all servicemen, said Chief of General Staff General Miho Mihov on Friday.
Presently, a large part of the army operates on a conscription system. Any 18-year-old male must serve in the army for a period of nine months. University graduates are required to serve for six months.
A plan for the organisational structure and development of the Ministry of Defence until 2004 was introduced in 1997. According to this plan, the reform of the Bulgarian Army should be complete by 2004.
The transformation of the Bulgarian Army from a conscript into a professional one started on November 1, 1997. At present, there are 2,364 hired servicemen in the Bulgarian Army.
The military’s top priorities are the Quick Response Forces and the Forces for Participation in Peacekeeping Operations. During the initial stage, 100 per cent of the Air Forces and the marine staff of the Navy Forces will be hired. Later, efforts will be concentrated on recruiting 100 per cent of the special Land troops (chemical defence, engineer, communications troops).
By 2004, the Army is expected to have a peacetime personnel of 45,000. About 4,000 of this will be Navy, about 10,000 Air Force, and about 20,000 Land Troops, explained Mihov.
“The availability of career soldiers, and a trained body of servicemen in reserve will assure Bulgaria’s security in emergency situations, such as a war,” he said.
The reasons behind the transformation of the Bulgarian Army into a professional one are the short term of conscript army service, and the inability to prepare the staff to use and upkeep the sophisticated army equipment.
Presently, a large part of the army operates on a conscription system. Any 18-year-old male must serve in the army for a period of nine months. University graduates are required to serve for six months.
A plan for the organisational structure and development of the Ministry of Defence until 2004 was introduced in 1997. According to this plan, the reform of the Bulgarian Army should be complete by 2004.
The transformation of the Bulgarian Army from a conscript into a professional one started on November 1, 1997. At present, there are 2,364 hired servicemen in the Bulgarian Army.
The military’s top priorities are the Quick Response Forces and the Forces for Participation in Peacekeeping Operations. During the initial stage, 100 per cent of the Air Forces and the marine staff of the Navy Forces will be hired. Later, efforts will be concentrated on recruiting 100 per cent of the special Land troops (chemical defence, engineer, communications troops).
By 2004, the Army is expected to have a peacetime personnel of 45,000. About 4,000 of this will be Navy, about 10,000 Air Force, and about 20,000 Land Troops, explained Mihov.
“The availability of career soldiers, and a trained body of servicemen in reserve will assure Bulgaria’s security in emergency situations, such as a war,” he said.
The reasons behind the transformation of the Bulgarian Army into a professional one are the short term of conscript army service, and the inability to prepare the staff to use and upkeep the sophisticated army equipment.
