Home > Mission > The Region > Bulgaria

Bulgaria

Print-ready fact-sheet
EUCOM image

Related Topics (4)

More related topics

Capital: Sofia
Area: 110,879 sq km
Comparative area: slightly larger than Tennessee
Population (July 2011 estimate): 7,093,635
Official language: Bulgarian
State Partner: Tennessee
International Organizations and Agreements: NATO, European Union, United Nations, Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), World Trade Organization

There are three Bulgarian bases identified as “joint-use facilities” (meaning the U.S. has the right to station troops and conduct training in them) in the U.S.-Bulgarian Defense Cooperation Agreement: Novo Selo Training Area (including the Aytos Storage Facility), Bezmer Air Base, and Graf Ignatievo Air Base.

In 2008, the Bulgarian military made the transition to an all-volunteer force and is currently undergoing an ambitious restructuring program which aims to bring the army up to NATO standards, modernize equipment, and fully integrate civilian and armed components in part with approximately $134 million in foreign military financing assistance from the U.S. since 1994.

Bulgaria deploys troops in support of NATO, EU, and UN missions. It currently has company-sized units working with coalition forces in Afghanistan and has maintained small contingents of troops deployed with international forces in Bosnia and Herzegovina and Kosovo.

Bulgaria's relationship with its neighbors has generally been good. Bulgaria has proven to be a constructive force in the region and has played an important role in promoting regional security.  

Media: Bulgaria RSS

PhotosRSS

Articles RSS

Blog Posts RSS

  • March 13, 2012

    First-Ever Regional Cyber Endeavor Seminar Held in Montenegro

    I spent last week in the warm and hospitable city of Podgorica, Montenegro, with a EUCOM team executing the first-ever regional Cyber Endeavor event.
  • July 6, 2011

    Blue skies in Montana (Bulgaria)

    Our Office of Defense Cooperation team left rainy and gloomy Sofia for a trip that had us traveling 2000 km in 5 days.  We were scheduled to travel throughout northern Bulgaria to inspect 15 potential Humanitarian Assistance projects. We were a little worried because we will also had a ribbon cutting to one of our larger HA projects: a kindergarten renovation in the town of Montana.
  • February 16, 2011

    Cyber Defense is a Team Sport

    The theme of this conference was “Empowering a Cyber Defense Workforce" and included over one hundred participants with 40 partner cyber defenders from 18 countries, NATO, and other international organizations. The cheer squad came from USEUCOM's components, DoD agencies and industry.
  • September 16, 2010

    LOGEX 10: CAPSTONE

    During the past week of LOGEX 10, I’ve had the distinct honor to serve among and work with some of the best people in the multinational logistics community. I was impressed by the professionalism and competence of our friends in US Joint Forces Command (USJFCOM) J7, Allied Command Transformation (ACT) and our NATO Allies and partners. These characteristics truly show during events such as this and I am proud to be associated with the exercise and everyone here.
  • May 1, 2010

    Rough Waters in the Cyber Sea

    Just back from Romania and Bulgaria, two countries that truly support U.S. and NATO efforts around the world. One thing we talked about was the cyber world and the implications for all of our nations.
  • April 16, 2010

    LOGEX 10 Workshops: Two Down … Three to Go

    As promised in February, welcome to another edition of LOGEX 10. This month’s events find me at the National Support Element (NSE) & Logistics Functional Area Services (LOGFAS) workshop in the Czech Republic, which is the second in a series of five workshops designed for each participating nation in this year’s exercise. Warrant Officer Martin Turner (RAF), Allied Command Transformation, provides instruction on LOGFAS.
  • November 24, 2009

    Health Center Ribbon Cuttings in Bulgaria

    As Chief of the Office of Defense Cooperation in Bulgaria, I recently attended two ribbon cutting ceremonies in the towns of Zherevna and Kermen to celebrate the completion of renovations for their health centers funded by the DoD Humanitarian Assistance Office.
  • September 22, 2009

    Getting Stronger Together in Bulgaria

    The EUCOM project in Paderevo consists of renovating the Vela Peeva Kindergarten which is being undertaken in conjunction with the deployment of Task Force East near the training area of Novo Selo. This project is unique because it is a combined effort between the U.S. Seabees from Naval Mobile Construction Battalion 3 (NMCB3), U.S. Army engineers from the 15th Engineering Battalion, and Bulgarian military engineers. This HCA project provided a unique opportunity to cross train techniques cross DoD services, work with new materials, and most importantly, working collaboratively together in an international context. A U.S. Navy Seabee from Naval Mobile Construction Battalion THREE lays tile in the Vela Peeva Elementary school in Padarevo, Bulgaria.
  • September 14, 2009

    What is the South-Eastern Europe Brigade (SEEBRIG)?

    Here at Combined Endeavor 09, we have participating organizations in addition to country participants. One of the organizations -- NATO -- is familiar to many people. SEEBRIG, however, is not as well known, so I want to take a few minutes to tell you about it.

Videos RSS

  • May 15, 2012

    Keeping jets in the air

    Bulgarian and American pilots are honing their skills at Exercise Thracian Star. Before they can take to the sky, there’s some prep work on the ground that needs to be done. Robert Sekula has more.
  • May 14, 2012

    The ability to communicate

    Exercise Thracian Star allows the U.S. and Bulgarian Air Forces to train together. But before pilots can take to the skies the communication between the two nations needs to be locked in tight.
  • May 9, 2012

    Serving as Ambassadors

    The joint training exercise Thracian Star, in Bulgaria, provides more than an opportunity for bilateral Air Force training. Robert Sekula explains.
  • July 25, 2010

    Building Relationships in Bulgaria

    New construction is underway in Bulgaria, potentially building better long-term relations with international allies.
  • January 7, 2010

    US, Bulgarian Paratrooper Training

    The year 2009 marked the 20th anniversary of the collapse of communism in central and eastern Europe. Today, former enemies are close friends as the United States military works hand-in-hand with former Warsaw pact members; that close relationship can make for some interesting missions.
  • November 2, 2009

    Joint US, Bulgarian training

    U.S. and Bulgarian troops are learning life-saving skills together at the Novo Selo Training Area in Bulgaria.
  • October 30, 2009

    Kindergarten in Bulgaria

    Kindergarten school in Bulgaria reopening after renovations by U.S. and Bulgarian construction teams, as part of Joint Task Force-East.
  • October 30, 2009

    Combat Operation Training

    A GPS-enabled tracking system is now helping train soldiers for situations and action downrange. 1LT Michael Meyer is in Bulgaria where the battlefield becomes an arcade.
  • October 22, 2009

    JTF E training in Bulgaria

    NOVO SELO, Bulgaria: U.S. Strykers and Bulgarian troops are training together in Bulgaria. They're showing off their combat skills to top leaders.
  • September 15, 2009

    RPG Training to Guardsmen

    Bulgarian troops provide RPG training to Tennessee Guardsmen as part of Joint Task Force-East.