site.btaDefence Minister Meets with NATO Deputy Secretary General

Defence Minister Atanas Zapryanov has met with NATO Deputy Secretary General Radmila Shekerinska, who is visiting Bulgaria for the opening of BULGARIA 2025, the largest multinational emergency response exercise, the Defence Ministry press centre said on Sunday. The exercise is jointly organized by NATO’s Crisis Management and Disaster Response Centre of Excellence and the Interior Ministry, with the participation of military units from the Bulgarian Armed Forces.

During the meeting, the sides discussed key issues related to NATO’s deterrence and defence capabilities, the security environment in the Black Sea region and the Western Balkans, the challenges posed by the war in Ukraine, and other topics currently on the Alliance’s agenda, the Ministry said.

Zapryanov briefed Shekerinska on Bulgaria’s defence policy priorities and the ongoing modernization of the Armed Forces. He reaffirmed this country's strong commitment to NATO’s collective defence, highlighting the importance of fair burden-sharing, defence investment, expanding the capacity of the defence industry, and using new technologies and innovation to enhance defence capabilities.

NATO's Deputy Secretary General praised Bulgaria as a valued and reliable NATO ally, emphasizing the country's potential for further development of its defence industry and its consistent efforts to modernize its Armed Forces.

Shekerinska and Zapryanov visited the NATO Multinational Battlegroup based in Bulgaria, which plays a vital role in strengthening NATO’s eastern flank and serves as an example of Allied solidarity, the Ministry added.

Earlier in the day, Prime Minister Rosen Zhelyazkov also held a meeting with Shekerinska to discuss Bulgaria’s role within the Alliance.