site.bta2023 Report on State of Armed Forces: Undermanning Rate Exceeds 20%

According to the Report on the State of Defence and the Armed Forces in 2023, adopted by the Council of Ministers on Wednesday, the rate of undermanning exceeds 20%. Urgent legislation is needed to establish environment to develop Bulgaria's reserves, while a level of defence spending of 2% of GDP is insufficient.

The report also suggests that a public debate should be organized on the possibilities of introducing forms of compulsory military training.

Toward the end of 2023, the Ministry of Defence, the institutions directly under the Minister of Defence and the Bulgarian Armed forces recorded an increased undermanning of 21.8%. Work is needed to increase motivation to join and remain in service.

Voluntary reserve manning is at 16%, with a persistent trend of no applicants for service contracts. Despite the measures taken, the number of applicants for recruitment and service in the voluntary reserve has not increased. The main reason is that pay levels remain uncompetitive on the labour market. Other reasons include the low interest in military service and malicious information campaigns manipulating public opinion regarding Russia's war against Ukraine.

There is a stable trend of a smooth nominal increase in defence spending, with defence spending for 2023 at 1.88% of GDP exceeding the planned level of 1.85% specified in the 2024 National Plan. At the same time, it should be taken into account that most NATO Member States, including Bulgaria, are guided by the belief that the defence spending level of 2% of GDP is insufficient and, therefore, it is already perceived as a starting point for further increases.

Bulgaria's Constitution was amended on January 1, 2008, to abolish compulsory conscription. After 2008, the replenishment of the military reserve with militarily trained Bulgarian citizens continued to be carried out mainly by exempted servicemen as well as by Bulgarian citizens who underwent initial and special military training on a voluntary basis. This pattern of replenishment has led to a significant decrease in the reserve, which has decreased by 43% between 2010 and 2020 and continues to decrease by 5% to 7% per year. According to estimates, if this rate continues, the reserve will be completely depleted in 15 years. There is also an emerging trend towards a progressively ageing reserve.