Sofia, 25 February (BelTA - BTA) - Parliament voted conclusively and unanimously Thursday to amend the Defence and Armed Forces Act to allow the Armed Forces to participate in border protection. The revisions passed on 137 votes.
The Armed Forces will be tasked with border security missions by a government act which will also provide for the financing and other resources necessary for its fulfillment.
The Defence Minister, on a proposal by the Chief of Defence, will set out the rules for carrying such missions.
The reasoning for the GERB-proposed changes says that the country has been experiencing an increased migration pressure caused by international circumstances. The Interior Ministry is making all efforts to manage this pressure but it needs support from other state bodies. The Armed Forces have personnel and resources that could be used in joint participation in border protection missions, the reasoning goes.
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