Defense policy and planning

Introduction

The Bulgarian armed forces, just like the armed forces in many other countries, have three main roles: defense of the sovereignty and the national territory, contribution to international peace and security, and contribution to internal security, particularly in times of crises. In peacetime, the third of these roles is most visible to society. The military contribution during the Covid-19 pandemic makes no exception.

NATO Presence in Eastern Europe after the Changes of 1989 ^[1]

The elaboration in this article is based on developments of multinational formations in Central and Eastern Europe (CEE)/South Eastern Europe (SEE), improving their interoperability and readiness through multinational projects, especially in the area of Communications and Information (C&I), and adequate education and training, including exercises.

Introduction

In the 21^st century the international system faces extremely dynamic, multifac­eted and complex threats and challenges which require a comprehensive and holistic approach to be tackled. There are no purely military or civilian solutions to the challenges; combination and rational use of the existing capabilities by the institutions and states seems to be the only option leading to a more peaceful world.

In 1999–2000, I taught the first defense planning course at the “G.S. Rakovski” Defense and Staff College in Sofia, Bulgaria.