Bulgaria will host a series of multinational military exercises aimed at improving the operational capabilities of the Armed Forces at national and Allied levels in fulfilling tasks specific to defense operations. The exercises will be conducted in the period May-June 2021 in compliance with the principles of transparency and openness. Media Days of the exercises "Trojan Footprint - South - 21", "Balkan Sentinel - 21", "Strike Back - 21" and "Shabla - 21" are planned so that the journalists will have the opportunity to observe the activities performed by the servicemen. These exercises will be held within the framework of the multinational exercise "Saber Guardian - 21" which is a part of "Defender Europe - 21" exercise involving more than 13,000 troops from 17 countries.

"Trojan Footprint - South - 21" will be conducted in the period 1-16 May 2021, and will involve up to 120 servicemen, equipment and technical means of the Joint Special Operations Command as well as servicemen from the UK, Spain, the Republic of North Macedonia and the USA. More than 230 servicemen from the armed forces of the participating countries will take part in the exercise. 13 May 2021 is planned as Media Day at the Tsrancha Training Center.

"Balkan Sentinel - 21" is a tactical exercise with combat live fire and will be conducted in the period 21 May – 4 June at Novo Selo training range. Up to 1,000 servicemen from the Land Forces of Bulgaria, Georgia and the United States will take part in the exercise with armored combat vehicles, tanks, self-propelled artillery units, mortars and other equipment. At various stages of the exercise, the immediate aviation support will be performed by forces and means of the Bulgarian Air Force, including a Su-25 aircraft, Mi-24 and Cougar helicopters. 31 May 2021 is planned as Media Day at Novo Selo Training Range.

"Strike Back-21" is a tactical exercise with combat live fire, and will be held in the period 24 May - 7 June at Koren Training Range. Up to 1,000 servicemen from the Land Forces of Bulgaria, Romania and Greece will participate in the exercise. At various stages of the exercise, armored combat vehicles, self-propelled artillery units, tanks, and 120-mm mortars will be used, while the immediate aviation support will be performed by aircraft and helicopters of the Bulgarian and Greek Air Forces. 4 June 2021 is planned as Media Day at Koren Training Range.

"Shabla - 21" is a national tactical exercise with experimental and joint combat live fire performed by the air defense formations of the Bulgarian Army with international participation. The exercise will be conducted in the period 25 May – 16 June 2021 at Shabla Air Defence Firing Range. Up to 1,500 servicemen from the Land Forces, the Air Force, the Navy and the Joint Special Operations Command of Bulgaria as well as formations from the United States and Serbia will participate in the exercise. 10 June 2021 is planned as Media Day at Shabla Air Defence Firing Range.

Dear colleagues,
If you would like to cover the exercises and attend the designated Media Days, you need to be accredited by providing the following information not later than 15 April 2021:

First name, surname, Personal Identification Number, Number of your ID card, contact phone number, name of the media and your position in it.

Contact address: BGR_PublicAffairs@armf.bg.

By 15 April 2021, Bulgaria is to submit its national report on the Code of Conduct on Politico-Military Aspects of Security to the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE).

The information exchanged on an annual basis between our country and the rest of the OSCE participating States is prepared jointly by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Defence, and the Ministry of Interior on the basis of answers to the questionnaire adopted by the OSCE participating States. The bigger part of the questions falls under the competence of the Ministry of Defence. Those relate to, among others, the legislative basis regulating defence planning, democratic control, roles and missions of the Armed Forces, the execution of the military service, education in international humanitarian law, the legal and the administrative procedures to protect the rights of the Armed Forces personnel.

In 1994, the participating States of the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) adopted a Code of Conduct on Politico-Military Aspects of Security. The Code is a fundamental document setting forth the principles of good governance in the security sector management and playing the role of a monitoring mechanism as regards the observance of the said principles. It became effective as of January 1st, 1995. The exchange of information carried out under the Code contributes to confidence and security building between the countries. As an additional transparency measure, the reports are published on OSCE’s website.

The Armed Forces of the Republic of Bulgaria are preparing to participate in the largest exercises for 2021 "Defender Europe 21" and "Steadfast Defender -21" which will be conducted in the period May-June 2021 under the leadership of the United States Army Europe and Africa Command and NATO Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe. The exercises are focused on performing tasks specific to defense operations. The participation in the exercises is an expression of the Allied determination, unity and mutual commitment to security in the Black Sea region.

"Defender Europe - 21" incorporates a series of related exercises positioned individually in time, place and stages which will be conducted mainly in the Black Sea region of the Balkans and Estonia. The exercise “Defender Europe – 21” begins in March 2021 with the redeployment of US forces and assets from the United States to eight European countries, and will last until mid-June 2021. More than 30,000 servicemen from 26 NATO member states and Partner countries will participate in the exercise. Its main goal is to improve the training and interoperability between the participants in simultaneously conducting defence operations at more than 30 military training ranges in 14 countries.

“Defender Europe-21” includes several interrelated exercises: “Swift Response”, “Saber Guardian”, “Immediate Response”, and “Defender Europe” command-staff exercise.

“Defender Europe-21” exercise conducted by the United States Army Europe and Africa Command is also related to the NATO exercise “Steadfast Defender -21”. It will be conducted in the period mid-May - the beginning of June 2021 under the leadership of NATO Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe. The goal is to demonstrate NATO's capabilities of responding rapidly to the full range of threats to security and stability of the North Atlantic Alliance in peacetime, in crisis or in the event of an arising conflict. Bulgaria will participate in the exercise mainly by providing host nation logistic support with respect to transit of forces and assets.

The exercises in which the Bulgarian Armed Forces will participate are incorporated in the Plan for training and preparation of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Bulgaria in 2021, in the NATO military exercise Plan and in the Plan for joint Bulgarian-American training in the country and abroad in 2021. Exercises of this type were conducted in our country in 2017 and 2019.

In May and June 2021, our country will host the multinational exercise "Saber Guardian" which combines national exercises with international participation "Strike Back – 21”, "Balkan Sentinel - 21" and "Shabla - 21" as well as the tactical exercise "Trojan Footprint - South". The exercise "Swift Response - 21" and the command-staff exercise "Defender Europe" will also be conducted on the territory of the country.

Bulgarian military formations will also take part in the “Decisive Strike” tactical exercise in the Republic of North Macedonia which is also a part of the “Saber Guardian”.

Throughout the duration of all the exercises, the anti-epidemic measures to prevent the spread of "COVID-19" will be observed in order to ensure the protection of the servicemen and the population. Prior to the redeployment, the US-based troops will be tested for COVID and will be put in quarantine before moving to European countries. Participants in the exercises from the armies of the other participating countries will also be tested, and the servicemen will be put in quarantine in advance.

The exercises will be conducted in compliance with the principles of transparency and openness. Media days are planned during which the journalists will have the opportunity to observe the activities performed by the servicemen. Information will be provided concerning the dates on which the Media Days will be held as well as concerning the conditions for the journalists’ accreditation.

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Information on the exercises which will be conducted in May and June 2021 with the participation of Bulgarian troops and forces


“Swift Response” is an exercise performed by a part of the US Immediate Response Force. The exercise will be conducted from the beginning to the middle of May 2021 in Estonia, Bulgaria and Romania with the participation of more than 7,000 servicemen from 11 countries.

“Saber Guardian” includes a series of related tactical live fire exercises, air defence operations and medical evacuation which will be conducted from mid-May to mid-June 2021 in Germany, Bulgaria, Romania, Hungary, the Republic of North Macedonia and Albania. More than 13,000 servicemen from 16 countries will participate in the exercise. It includes: tactical live fire exercises "Strike Back - 21", "Balkan Sentinel - 21", "Shabla - 21", the tactical exercises "Trojan Footprint" and "Decisive Strike".

"Immediate Response" is an exercise aimed at enhancing the logistic capabilities which ensure the passage of the Allied troops through the territories of the Participating countries, including the provision of the troops’ reception, their accommodation and their subsequent movement. It also includes tactical live fire exercises in which more than 13,000 servicemen from 11 countries will take part. The training activities will be conducted at 31 military training ranges from mid-May to the beginning of June.

“Defender Europe” command-staff exercise will be conducted in June in a number of countries, including Bulgaria, on two continents, and approximately 1,500 servicemen will participate in it.

You can find more information on all exercises at: www.EuropeAfrica.army.mil/DefenderEurope.

Contact information: e-mail: USArmyEurope.MediaDesk@mail.mil.
And: BGR_PublicAffairs@armf.bg.

We would like to inform you that the new official Facebook page of the Ministry of Defence has been created under the name “Ministry of Defence. Bulgarian Armed Forces” and is available at https://www.facebook.com/bulgariamod/ .

The previous page, entitled “Bulgarian Armed Forces,” has been compromised by a hacking attack. It may publish pieces the Ministry of Defence does not accept responsibility for. Procedures to mitigate the consequences are underway.

The Programme for the Development of the Defence Capabilities of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Bulgaria 2032 sets out the strategic framework and main parameters of the defence policy and the build-up and sustainment of defence capabilities adequate to the risks and threats up to the year 2032, and, in some aspects, beyond that year.

The draft Programme 2032 was adopted by virtue of Decision No. 86 of the Council of Ministers dated 1 February 2021 and has been submitted to the National Assembly for Approval.

The document analyses the security environment and its impact on the development of defence capabilities. It sets out the strategic goal of defence policy: protection of the territorial integrity and of the national interests through build-up, sustainment and employment of defence capabilities adequate to the security environment and build-up of modern Armed Forces with a single command and control system in peacetime and in the event of crises.

Programme 2032 indicates that in order to carry out the assigned missions and tasks, the Armed Forces are to maintain a total strength of not less than 43,000 including 3,000-strong voluntary reserve. The parameters of the capabilities, structure, and command and control system of the Armed Forces are also defined.

The role of the Armed Forces is to guarantee the sovereignty, security and independence of the country, to defend its territorial integrity, and to participate in NATO collective defence and the EU Common Security and Defence Policy.

The three primary missions of the Armed Forces are Defence, Support of International Peace and Security, and Contribution to National Security in Peacetime. The level of ambition for employment of the Armed Forces has been defined for each of the three missions accordingly.

Functionally, the Armed Forces will comprise Deterrence Forces and Defence Forces. In addition to that, Programme 2032 envisages the establishment of two new structures, the Communications and Information Support Command and the Logistics Support Command.

To strike the optimum balance between the defence capabilities needed, the fulfilment of missions and tasks assigned to the Armed Forces, and the resources available for defence, it is forecast that by 2024 defence spending reach 2% of the GDP. After 2024, defence spending is to be maintained at not less than 2% of the GDP and, if the economic situation so permits, at a higher level, while committing to invest at least 20% of defence spending in procuring new weapon systems and equipment.

Programme 2032 foresees that the investment projects on rearming, reequipping, and modernising the Armed Forces are to encompass the full life cycle of a defence product: acquisition, operation and maintenance, decommissioning, and, respectively, planning and timely provision of the funds required.

Programme 2032 envisages development to be achieved in all areas related to the Armed Forces: defence acquisition, defence infrastructure, military education, social policy (morale and welfare), and human resources management.

It is human potential that is the main driver and guarantee for the success of each and every activity pursued in the field of defence. Securing competitive salaries for those in defence, comparable with labour market pay, has been a continuous effort with projected sustained impact well beyond 2032. The focus will be on creating conditions conducive to motivating people in defence and recruiting and retaining in service high-quality adequately trained personnel.

Programme 2032 was elaborated on the basis of the outcomes of the Strategic Defence Review, which was carried out as an integral part of the interagency Strategic Review of the National Security and Defence Protection System and Strategic Defence Review implemented at national level. The Programme will in turn provide the basis for the elaboration of a Plan for the Development of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Bulgaria 2026, a successor Plan for the Development of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Bulgaria 2027-2032, and a long-term Investment Plan-Programme 2032.

The Programme for the Development of the Defence Capabilities of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Bulgaria 2032, as adopted by virtue of Decision No. 86 of the Council of Ministers dated 1 February 2021, has been published on the website of the Ministry of Defence of the Republic of Bulgaria, under the heading “Topical” (in Bulgarian).