Two multi-purpose patrol ships to be built for the Bulgarian Navy, including armament, equipment and communication systems, will cost the country €419M, Nikolay Nenchev, Bulgarian Defence Minister said.
Bulgarian News agency Novinite reported the minister saying that the two vessels would be built within three and a half to six years.
The newspaper further said that the government held talks with European and NATO member states about the potential acquisition of the ships.
There is still very little information about the specifications of vessels to be procured.
Bulgaria is looking to start the modernization of its navy which has been largely overlooked during its NATO admission process. The majority of Bulgarian Navy vessels are sitting idle in the port while only the newer, former Belgian Navy frigates, and a couple of corvettes remain in active service.