site.btaGovernment Approves Agreements Boosting Defence Capabilities

The Council of Ministers approved a report of the Minister of Defence concerning the approval of a draft international agreement (Letter of Offer and Acceptance – LOA) BU-P-AAL “Acquisition of a Mobile Coastal Defence Missile (NSM) System and related equipment, spare parts, training, and associated support,” and a draft international agreement (Letter of Offer and Acceptance – LOA) BU-P-LBR “Multifunctional Information Distribution System – Joint Tactical Radio System (MIDS JTRS) and its related support and equipment,” under the United States Foreign Military Sales (FMS) Program, and to authorize an official to conduct negotiations and sign both agreements subject to subsequent ratification.

The draft international agreements BU-P-AAL and BU-P-LBR were prepared in connection with the implementation of the priority project of the Ministry of Defence, “Acquisition of Coastal Anti-Ship Missile Systems.” Through the implementation of these international agreements, the Navy will expand the range of tasks performed in both national and collective formats, generating new deterrence and defence capabilities in the national maritime spaces of the Republic of Bulgaria. At the same time, conditions will be created to meet NATO requirements for operational and technological interoperability and to enhance the Navy’s contribution to collective defence.

Under the International Treaties of the Republic of Bulgaria Act, these draft international agreements must be approved by the Government, and a designated official must be authorized to sign them on behalf of Bulgaria. Subsequent ratification of both agreements by the Bulgarian National Assembly is envisaged, which is a condition for their entry into force.