Bulgaria declines NATO counter-drone initiative due to budget constraints

Bulgarian Defense Minister Dimitar Stoyanov has announced that Bulgaria will not participate in NATO’s €40 billion counter-drone initiative. During a parliamentary session, Stoyanov stated that the country lacks the financial resources to fund two similar defense projects simultaneously.

Bulgaria is currently pursuing a similar project through the European Union, which aims to establish a multi-layered defense network along its eastern borders. This EU initiative includes radar, electronic warfare systems, and interceptor drones, with a goal of being fully operational by the end of 2027. The Minister noted that participating in both programs would offer little added value due to the overlap in objectives and would strain the Ministry of Defense’s limited budget.