Chair of the Defence Committee General Konstantin Popov has had talks with NATO Defence College Commandant Lieutenant General Christine Whitecross. He has introduced to the Commandant the work and main priorities of the Defence Committee.

Our main task is to participate in the development and assist in the implementation of Bulgarian defence policy, said General Konstantin Popov at the meeting. The priorities in our work are related to drafting legislation, enhancing the theoretical framework of the armed forces and improving the financial security of the defence. Projections are that 2 per cent of the GDP will be allocated to defence in 2024.

Lieutenant General Christine Whitecross was introduced to the budget framework for 2018. She was also told that the government would allocate 397 million BGN to launch projects to modernise the Bulgarian army.

The NATO Defence College Commandant explained to the parliamentary Defence Committee Chair the work and training of strategic-level staff to be appointed at NATO and the national HQ. Commandant Whitecross expressed her hope that more Bulgarian officers would undergo training at the College. She also shared her support for the activities that Bulgaria would engage in to modernise the army and increase its funding.

The NATO Defence College in Rome trains operational strategic level officers for managerial positions at NATO and the HQ of the member states.