The role of unmanned autonomous systems in current and future military conflicts will be among the key topics discussed by Bulgaria’s Chief of Defence, Admiral Emil Eftimov, and his counterparts from Balkan countries during a regional defence conference in Istanbul, Bulgaria’s Defence Ministry said on Tuesday.
The 18th Annual Conference of the Chiefs of Defence of the Balkan Countries is taking place from May 27 to 29 and brings together senior military officials from Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Greece, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Romania, Serbia and Türkiye.
The forum serves as a platform to address shared defence challenges and explore avenues for enhanced regional military cooperation, including information-sharing, joint exercises, and training initiatives.
Launched 18 years ago, the initiative has grown into a key example of regional collaboration in the field of defence, the ministry said.
In a speech delivered at last year’s conference in Durres, Albania, Admiral Eftimov underscored the importance of investing in defence personnel, describing them as the “most valuable asset” for shaping military capability.
“Retaining and developing skilled personnel through training is essential to achieving strategic defence and security goals,” he said, calling for targeted policies to improve the prestige of the military profession and boost motivation.
Eftimov also emphasised the need for integrating new technologies into training programmes to meet the evolving demands of modern combat.