SOFIA - Bulgaria, a NATO member nation since 2004, said Thursday it intends to slash its military manpower by 20 percent by the end of this year and give better pay to those still in uniform.
In a statement, the government said it proposed to cut 8,000 positions, "including 10 generals and 1,400 civilians," subject to approval from parliament where the governing centre-left coalition enjoys a big majority.
The cutbacks will allow soldiers' pay -- currently an average of 180 euros (280 dollars) a month, the lowest in NATO -- to be increased by 39 percent from January 1 next year, it added.
Defence Minister Veselin Bliznakov recently said that the armed forces, which currently numbers 39,000 soldiers, sailors and airmen, should focus more on training in anticipation of peacekeeping missions abroad.
Some 750 military personnel are on deployment abroad, including 420 in Afghanistan and 155 in Iraq where 13 soldiers have been killed to date.
Bulgaria, which ended mandatory military service at the end of last year, still has one of the biggest armed forces in per capita terms of any North Atlantic Treaty Organization member.
vs/rom/gk
03/20/2008 18:13 GMT