Defence Minister: Bulgaria will train Ukrainian combat medics

Defence Minister Todor Tagarev on Thursday was given a hearing in Parliament in connection with plans for Bulgaria to join a EU deal for providing 1 million artillery shells to Ukraine and train combat medics to assist Ukraine.

Tagarev recalled that the 48th National Assembly authorized up to 60 Ukrainian servicemen to undergo training as combat medics in Bulgaria each year.

The Minister said that Bulgaria has proposed to the Ukrainian representative on the headquarters of the EU Military Assistance Mission in support of Ukraine to hold such training in September 2023. 

Bulgaria will join a project for joint ammunition procurement, said the Minister in connection with a initiative of the European Union to provide 1 million artillery shells to Ukraine.

This move will be preceded by a government decision and the signing of an agreement, which is being prepared by the Council of Ministers. 

According to Tagarev, participation in such projects has advantage. In political terms, Bulgaria will demonstrate support for EU’s new sectoral policy for joint procurement tenders in defence, which aims to advance defence cooperation in the long-term. Tagarev said that this will provide opportunity to reinforce Bulgaria’s armed forces through bids for supply of ordnance which Bulgaria’s defence ministry doesn’t produce currently. 

Another advantage relates to potentially lower costs for larger orders and VAT exemption. Joint procurement will eliminate possible competition between the countries and will give a clear horizon to the European defenc industry for planned investments to expand existing and build new production capacities, said Tagarev. 

He said that Bulgaria’s participation in the project will provide access to financial incentives for manufacturing countries. Nearly EUR 500 million will be disbursed by mid-2025,, said Tagarev, adding that the money could be used to modernize and build new production capacities for the defence industry. 

Minister Tagarev said that Bulgaria won’t participate in the transfer of 155-mm rounds for Ukraine from existing stocks as it does not have such ammunition, but he did not rule out that the European Defence Agency may contract Bulgarian companies to produce this type of ammunition. 

Of ways to fund the assistance, Tagarev said that this is don through funds outside the EU budget, to which EU countries pay contributions. Bulgaria’s contribution is little under 0,5 %. 

Approached whether he held any posts at the Ukrainian Defence Ministry, Tagarev said he served as an adviser at Ukraine’s Defence Ministry between 2005 and 2011 and he visited Kyiv regularly. He said that he did not receive any payments from Ukraine.