Stefan Yanev

Bulgaria's Defence Minister Stefan Yanev said on Saturday that he is ready to boost patrols and finish a fence along its southeastern frontier with Turkey in an effort to hold off any new influx of migrants.

Caretaker Defence Minister Stefan Yanev commented the concerns of eventual increasing of the migrant pressure from Turkey with the words that there was no tension along the border and the situation had been close to normal over the past months, according to BNR.

At the same time Bulgaria is ready to cope with that type of a challenge, Yanev assured.

The government and the Central Election Commission have mapped out scenarios for reaction to unforeseen situations surrounding the parliamentary elections on 26 March, Deputy PM Stefan Yanev said, according to BNR.

A debate is needed on boosting Bulgaria's military expenditure in line with the country's NATO commitments, interim Defense Minister Stefan Yanev has said.

Yanev's remarks come against the backdrop of the Munich security conference, where NATO states were urged to increase defense spending to at least 2% of GDP, as agreed during a summit in 2014.

Interim Defence Minister Stefan Yanev does not accept as an ultimatum the demand of the US for increasing defence expenditures.

At NATO headquarters, Yanev described as "timely" the message of US Secretary of Defence James Mattis for concrete plans in order for defence financing to reach 2% of GDP.

Bulgarian authorities will make sure voting machines are available in all polling stations for the early election on March 26, interim Deputy Prime Minister Stefan Yanev has said.