Constantin Popov

Bulgarian Army Commander, Maj Gen Andrey Botsev, was formally proposed on Wednesday as the new Chief of Defense of the country's military.

Vice Admiral Emil Eftimov, who was appointed ad interim after his predecessor quit, has served for less than two months.

Chief of Defense Gen Constantin Popov is resigning, Focus News Agency reports.

Popov, in office since February, has cited the need to give President-elect Rumen Radev an opportunity to name the military officer who will take the post senior position in the Bulgarian Armed Forces.

Admiral Evangelos Apostolakis, Chief of Hellenic National Defence General Staff, arrived on a three-day official visit to Bulgaria at the invitation of the Chief of Defence General Constantin Popov, the Defence Ministry in Sofia announced on Monday.

Bulgarian Defence Minister Nikolay Nenchev will table to the Council of Ministers the draft for the acquisition of a new multi-purpose fighter jet in several days.

Nenchev said this at the Graf Ignatievo air base on Thursday where he is attending the celebrations marking the 65th anniversary of its establishment.

A joint exercise is to be conducted on Saturday in Southwestern Bulgaria, at the border with Greece and near the one in Macedonia, in light of potentially increasing migratory pressure.

The drill will be held in the region of Petrich, Sandanski and Kulata, the latter being a major border crossing point with Greece.

Bulgarian Defense Minister Nikolay Nenchev has said authorities are planning to develop a national strategy to counter acts of hybrid warfare.

Nenchev has noted the Bulgarian state institutions are taking increasingly seriously cyber crimes and will include tough measures against them in their strategy.

The Bulgarian government has proposed the name of Lt Gen Constantin Popov as the next Chief of Defense, the cabinet's press office has said.

A proposal has been sent to Bulgaria's President Rosen Plevneliev under which Popov, currently Deputy Chief of Defense, is to take over from Vice Admiral Rumen Nikolov.

Bulgaria's Defence Council has nominated Lieutenant General Constantin Popov as new Chief of Defence, replacing Vice Admiral Rumen Nikolov.