Cabinet Asks President to Release Chief of Defence Emil Eftimov
The government has formally proposed that President Rumen Radev release Admiral Emil Eftimov from his post as Chief of Defence after he submitted his resignation a month ago.
Illustration: AI-generated image
The Bulgarian government has formally proposed to President Rumen Radev that he release Chief of Defence Admiral Emil Eftimov from his post, Dnevnik reported on Wednesday. The proposal follows Admiral Eftimov's resignation from the Bulgarian army, which he submitted a month ago.
Admiral Eftimov gave three months' notice, according to the report, and will continue to perform his duties until the end of that period. The Chief of Defence is the highest-ranking officer in the Bulgarian Armed Forces and is appointed and released by presidential decree on the proposal of the Council of Ministers.
Under the Bulgarian Constitution, the President appoints and dismisses the Chief of Defence on the proposal of the Council of Ministers. The Chief of Defence is responsible for the operational command of the Armed Forces and is subordinate to the Minister of Defence and the Council of Ministers.
The steps now move to the presidency, where a decree would formalise the release once the notice period concludes or upon an earlier decision by the president. No further details on the timing or the reason for Admiral Eftimov's resignation were immediately available in the source.
Admiral Eftimov, who currently holds the post, is a career naval officer. His departure will require the appointment of a successor, a process that typically involves proposals from the government and approval by the president. The defence ministry and presidential office have not yet commented publicly on the next steps.
