Tension In Bulgaria Army Over Shortage Of Apartments - Sofia News Agency

There is tension in the staff of the Bulgarian Army over the available number of apartments, which is insufficient for accommodating the professional soldiers and their families.

This was announced Saturday by the Deputy Head of the General Staff of the Bulgarian Army Vice-Admiral Emil Lutskanov before the Bulgarian private Darik Radio.

According to Lutskanov, it was not the real estate barters of the Defense Minister that have recently become problematic over allegations of unfair practices, but the terrible shortage of apartments facing the army staff that created tension. He pointed out the Bulgarian Army was in need of 19 000 new apartments.

"Under the present system we are unable to provide these apartments. This puts the soldiers before the dilemma whether to serve or not", Lutskanov said.

He explained that the Defense Ministry paid allowances to soldiers renting flats to help them paid the rents but that the allowance paid to a soldier's family renting an apartment in Sofia was only about BGN 100 per month.

"The sale of barracks and other former military facilities no longer in use is one way to acquire more apartments for the Army. That is why after the Defense Ministry sells a piece of property it must purchase apartments as soon as possible", the Vice-Admiral stated adding that in this way the money for rent allowances would be saved and would accrue in the Army budget.novinite.com