When you burden the army with extraordinary efforts, with overtime, it also limits the resource of the planes themselves, because they are not meant to put on a show. These are not the aerial "Knights" of Putin or there of the French air force or the American air force. These countries and many others have special air units that are engaged only in airshows - aerobatics. Our pilots are not circus performers=
This is what former Defense Minister Krasimir Karakachanov told BNT.
He added that the tragedy that happened in "Graf Ignatievo" is a symptom that "in the last three years they look at the army as some kind of decoration".
"The mantra that we are in NATO and NATO will protect us for many years led to the fact that no funds were allocated to the army. Well, what are we going to do now, what are you in the army? Why will we repair the machines? We are in NATO. It's just that the world is currently facing several conflicts that could grow into something big.
He was adamant that the army could not be used for everything.
"The time has come for fires - come on the army. Natural disasters - come the army. It's time for some kind of anniversary - come on now, perform like circus acrobats. Excuse me, but the army has very clear duties under the Constitution and law.
Unfortunately, he said, in recent years the rulers have seen the army as an opportunity to "buy indulgences from partners".
According to Tsvetan Tsvetanov, the flying hours for Bulgarian pilots are very few.