The modernization of the Bulgarian Army is an obligatory condition if Bulgaria wants to remain a reliable NATO ally, Head of State Rumen Radev said, who held a meeting with General Curtis Scaparrotti, Supreme Allied Commander Europe of NATO Allied Command Operations. Bulgaria actively participates in the NATO initiatives and should make the necessary efforts to modernize its Armed Forces to meet the Alliance’s standards in the name of the security of its citizens, the Head of State further emphasized.

President Radev briefed General Scaparrotti on the goals of the forthcoming later this week Consultative Council for National Security. “The necessity to modernize and upgrade the capabilities of the Bulgarian Armed Forces is of key importance and I will continue to insist on political will in this sphere so that our country can efficiently perform its duties as an ally,” the Head of State further said.

At the meeting Rumen Radev and Curtis Scaparrotti discussed the EU initiatives in the defense sphere. The two shared the opinion that the EU’s and NATO’s efforts to build and develop defense capabilities should complement each other. “The pan-European projects, which develop and build up the current capabilities of the member states, strictly following the NATO standards, are beneficial for the security of the citizens,” the Head of State said.

General Scaparrotti highly appreciated the contribution of the Bulgarian servicemen to the NATO missions and thanked Bulgaria for its active participation in the Alliance’s initiatives. “Bulgaria offers an irreplaceable support to NATO in all its key initiatives. The military exercises conducted on its territory are efficient and useful,” Supreme Allied Commander General  Scaparrotti said.