The Bulgarian military contingent would leave its responsibility zone in Afghan capital Kabul by summer, Sega daily reported on May 8, quoting unnamed sources in the Bulgarian Defence Ministry. Local authorities had firmly insisted before the Nato command in charge of the operation that the Afghan police take over the security of the city in several months' time.

The 200 Bulgarian soldiers, who have served under the Italian command for two years, would be given new tasks, Sega daily said. The Cabinet is yet to discuss several options. It is possible that the contingent, again under Italian command, would head to the northern part of Afghanistan, where the alliance commanders intend to station it.

But there was also the possibility that the 200 Bulgarian rangers would be deployed in the turbulent city of Kandahar, where another 220 Bulgarian soldiers are already guarding the local airport. Experts from the Defence Ministry commented that by combining the two units, their numbers would allow form a battalion, making the Bulgarians a separate unit instead of being under the command of officers from another country, Sega said.

At the end of this week, Bulgaria's supreme military command would visit Nato's headquarters in Brussels to hear the new proposals for the country's participation in future missions, Sega daily reported.

Howeve, the offer of Prime Minister Sergei Stanishev to Nato secretary general Jaap de Hoop Scheffer for Bulgaria to give its currently unfit-for-use MI-17 helicopters to Afghanistan in exchange for them being repaired was unrealistic, Sega daily said. “This idea has not even been discussed by the alliance since its appeal was to help the mission now and not in three years' time,” military experts told Sega.

Bulgaria had no plans to extend its participation in Iraq after its last military contingent returns at end-July, Sega also said. The Government pledged to bring back Bulgarian soldiers from Iraq by the end of 2008. The last Bulgarian company, consisting of 120 people, left for Camp Ashraf at the end of January 2008.

The Defence Ministry had already received several offers from Iraqi authorities to continue its mission in the country, according to Sega. One of the propositions was for a company that would help local militias in fighting anti-government forces. The other was for Bulgarians to guard the units that are building hospitals, schools and public buildings, but are under constant terrorist observation. The propositions were yet to be discussed by the Government in Sofia, Sega daily said.