site.btaGovernment Falcon Jet to Be Sold at Public Auction

Minister of Transport and Communications Grozdan Karadjov ordered the government’s Falcon aircraft to be sold at a public auction, the Transport Ministry press service said on Wednesday. The decision follows a review of the aircraft’s maintenance and operating costs over the past decade.

“I am instructing the management of the State Aviation Operator to sell the government’s Falcon aircraft at a public auction. This way, we can achieve the highest possible price,” Karadjov published on his Facebook profile. The decision comes after an analysis of the costs for maintaining and operating the aircraft over the last ten years.

The government’s Falcon aircraft costs the state budget an average of BGN 4.4 million per year for approximately 290 hours of annual use. This year, the required major overhaul alone will cost BGN 6.76 million. Excluding this significant expense, ongoing maintenance for the Falcon has averaged BGN 500,000 per year, while maintenance for the other government aircraft, the Airbus A319, has been five times less expensive. Additionally, annual specialized ground and simulator training for pilots and technical staff for the Falcon has been five times more costly than for the Airbus A319. Karadjov indicated there is no operational necessity to maintain the Falcon, as the Airbus A319 is larger, more economical, and fully meets the needs of state institutions.

Karadjov said that the proceeds from the sale and the savings from maintaining the Falcon could be redirected to areas of much greater public importance, such as purchasing aerial firefighting equipment, building capacity for aerial search and rescue, and providing additional training for flight and rescue crews.

"The health and safety of citizens are the top priority, followed by environmental protection. The greater our capacity for swift action, the more effective our response will be in emergencies," he said.

The government’s Falcon 2000 business jet, operated by the State Aviation Operator (formerly Air Squad 28), has been in service for high-level government travel for years and has a history of technical issues. In 2015 the aircraft twice experienced landing-gear malfunctions: once returning to Sofia shortly after takeoff and once making an emergency landing in Varna, which prompted an investigation and a review of the technical and financial aspects of its use for government purposes, according to the Transport Ministry.

The State Aviation Operator also operates an Airbus A319, which has been used for official flights including the national volleyball team’s return from the 2025 Men’s World Championship, and in 2024 it signed an aviation fuel supply contract with Shell&MOH Aviation.

The use of the government fleet has periodically stirred political controversy, with GERB leader Boyko Borissov and President Rumen Radev trading accusations in June 2025 over how the government aircraft are used.