Maiden flight of Bulgaria's first F-16 sparks debate
The first F-16 Block 70 fighter jet, which arrived in Bulgaria on April 2, made its maiden flight in Bulgarian airspace on May 28 from Graf Ignatievo Air Base, according to BNT. This flight was part of the technical acceptance process by the Bulgarian Air Force, which has now been completed, with flight acceptance currently underway.
Upon arrival, the jet showed a deviation in one of its systems, sparking political controversy and calls for the resignation of Air Force Commander Major General Nikolay Rusev.
Boyan Raev appointed head of Bulgaria's organized crime directorate
Senior Commissioner Boyan Raev, has been appointed head of the General Directorate for Combating Organized Crime (GDBOP), according to the institution's website. Since starting his career at the Ministry of Interior in 1996, Raev has worked in various units across Gabrovo, Varna, and Sofia, including Criminal Police and Serious Crimes.
Until now, he served as deputy to the former director of the directorate, Yavor Serafimov, who was yesterday reassigned as deputy director of the Main Directorate "National Police." Meanwhile, the former head of the State Agency for National Security (DANS), Plamen Tonchev, took over the leadership of the Commission on Files yesterday, thereby vacating his previous position.
More than 20 bar associations protest
Numerous bar associations across Bulgaria are suspending the appointment of public defenders, standby lawyers, and special representatives in protest against the lack of reform in legal aid and low compensation for their work. The Sofia Bar Association has announced an effective protest starting June 1, 2025, refusing to assign legal aid roles.
Exceptions to the boycott include the bar associations in Veliko Tarnovo, Stara Zagora, Montana, Razgrad, and Dobrich. The move follows a joint statement by 21 bar association leaders in April condemning the unsustainable conditions in the legal aid system.
Maiden flight of Bulgaria's first F-16 sparks debate
The first F-16 Block 70 fighter jet, which arrived in Bulgaria on April 2, made its maiden flight in Bulgarian airspace on May 28 from Graf Ignatievo Air Base, according to BNT. This flight was part of the technical acceptance process by the Bulgarian Air Force, which has now been completed, with flight acceptance currently underway.
