Krasimir Karakachanov

Bulgaria should tighten rules on foreign financing for religious communities and restrict visits by foreign clerics to help counter the potential spread of radical Islam, deputy prime minister Krasimir Karakachanov said on Thursday.

A broad-format meeting is underway in Sofia discussing measures against radical Islam penetrating into Bulgaria.

Bulgaria will ask for proposals from Portugal on providing new U.S. F-16s and from Italy on new Eurofighter Typhoons, to ensure fair competition with Sweden's Gripen, as the country seeks to buy eight fighter jets.

BGN 55 million additional funds for the Ministry of Interior will be included in the budget for next year. This was announced by the Finance Minister Vladislav Goranov on bTV this morning.

The 13th World Meeting of Bulgarian Media will take place in Chisinau on 4-8 October 2017, Moldpress reported.

A photo exhibition will be inaugurated at the event, followed by a visit to Taraclia and a meeting at the State University of this locality. The main topics will focus on: education, culture, mother tongue and bilateral relations.

"From 1 January 2018, the military will receive higher salaries." This is what Defense Minister Krasimir Karakachanov said in Varna.

He added that he could not tell the exact percentage because the raises would be different, depending on the rank and the service, but certainly the biggest ones will be in the battle divisions.

Bulgarian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defense Krasimir Karakachanov has told journalists in parliament that funding of religious communities, organizations and religious denominations in Bulgaria from abroad should be banned, reported BGNES.

Thus, according to him, the funding received through foundations by various radical elements in this country would be limited.

Bulgaria's Vice-President Iliyana Yotova on Wednesday called for increase of Chinese investments and tourists in Bulgaria, and greater presence of strategic partners from China in key infrastructure projects and transport corridors in her country.

Yotova made the remarks while addressing here a reception marking the 68th anniversary of the founding of People's Republic of China.

Defense Minister Krasimir Karakachanov will open today an international scientific conference on "Future Armed Forces 2040". It is organized by the Defense Prospective Research Institute (IMEO) of the Military Academy "G. S. Rakovski "together with AFCEA (Sofia) and Defense Defense and Project Management Departments of the Ministry of Defense, reported BGNES.

Defence Minister Krasimir Karakachanov will discuss issues pertaining to bilateral cooperation in the military sphere with Macedonia's Defence Minister Radmila Sekerinska in Skopje today, reported Mediapool.

Minister Karakachanov will raise the question of holding a joint exercise between the special forces of the two countries scheduled for the next year.