Bulgaria’s army is the poorest in NATO and its soldiers have the lowest social securities in the Alliance, Defence Minister Vesselin Bliznakov said.

Bulgaria allocates $ 2490 for a solder per year, while the sum in neighbouring Romania is double that, mediapool.bg said. France and the Netherlands allocate up to $ 32 000 and 35 000 respectively for each of their soldiers.

Bliznakov said that Bulgaria has to make its army as numerous and as prepared, so that it meets the country’s goals, within the financial possibilities of the state.

If the army budget remains unchanged, the Defence Ministry will not be able to launch new modernisation projects until 2011, Bliznakov said.

Current priorities of the Ministry are armoured machines delivery, new systems for communication and information, camping equipment and multifunctional corvettes for the marine forces.

Bulgaria will buy seven armoured machines, worth 14 million leva in total. Several companies are interested in the deal, Bliznakov said.