Bulgaria cannot afford to pull out troops from Iraq without offering an alternative mission, Defence Minister Vesselin Bliznakov said. By the end of the year the Cabinet has to take a final decision concerning the form of future Bulgarian participation in Iraqi peacekeeping operations. Days ago an official statement confirmed the Cabinet was considering sending 120 military personnel to provide security at Ashraf prison camp.
Bliznakov said the new mission would not be problematic, despite pre-election promises of the ruling party. Before its electoral victory this summer, the Bulgarian Socialist Party (BSP) promised complete a pullout from Iraq. Bliznakov said he expected political support for the new mission from all political formations, Dnevnik newspaper reported.
The minister also discussed progress on Bulgaria's military modernisation projects. Bliznakov said that representatives of Boeing and Lockheed Martin were expected to visit Bulgaria soon to discuss the modernisation with army representatives.