Bulgaria Boosts Wildfire Response
Bulgaria has doubled its firefighting capacity at Krumovo Air Base over the past year, both in terms of aircraft and trained personnel, Prime Minister Rosen Zhelyazkov announced during a visit on Thursday. The meeting, involving defense, interior, and regional authorities, reviewed wildfire preparedness and inter-agency coordination, CE Report quotes BTA
Zhelyazkov said more helicopters will join aerial firefighting missions next year, while hundreds of teams nationwide remain engaged in disaster response. He stressed the importance of cooperation between the Interior Ministry, regional governors, and mayors, noting that 95% of last year's wildfires were human-caused.
Currently, fires are active south of the Balkan Mountains, with major efforts focused on the Rila Mountains and near Sandanski.
The Prime Minister also highlighted Bulgaria’s long-term defense funding plan through 2035, allocating 3.5% for military spending and 1.5% for critical infrastructure.
Top officials including Defence Chief Admiral Emil Eftimov and Air Force Commander Major General Nikolay Rusev attended the meeting.
