Bulgaria: government to abolish compulsory military service

Bulgaria: government to abolish compulsory military service

All conscript soldiers would be relieved from duty on Jan. 1, 2008, but some of them could be offered professional contracts, according to the new law.

Currently, less than 70 percent of Bulgaria's armed forces are professionals, but the navy and the air force almost fully professional.

Bulgaria's armed forces number about 34,000 on active duty and 11,000 reservists.