SOFIA, Bulgaria (BulgarianMilitary.com), 23 July 2018, Editor: Boyko Nikolov, Photo credit: Armymedia.bg

All 158 service members from the 35th military contingent of the Bulgarian Armed Forces returned successfully from Afghanistan, where they participated in the NATO Resolute Support Program. The service members were met by the Defence Minister Krasimir Karakachanov at Sofia Airport, learned BulgarianMilitary.com

Only a few days before that they passed the baton to the 36th contingent under the same program, who are already in Afghanistan, and during the next several months they will organize the check regime for the automobile and pedestrian traffic at Kandahar Airport.

Read more: The Bulgarian Special Forces Will Participate in a NATO Mission in Afghanistan

“The mission of the 35th contingent finished successfully, and I hope that their colleagues, who substituted them, will return in the same way. The evaluation, given by our partners, shows that the preparation of our service members is considered to be at very good level. I am glad that everybody, who departed, returned alive and in good health. That was also my wish when I saw them off in Smolyan more than 6 months ago” – commented the Bulgarian Defence Minister.

Minister Karakachanov shared that as a defence minister he bears the responsibility related to the presentation of the Bulgarian service members by striving for them to be well prepared, armed and equipped.

The Deputy Chief of Defence Vice-Admiral Eftim Eftimov and General Lyubcho Todorov, who is a Commander of the Joint Forces Command, were also among the welcoming party at Sofia Airport.

The 35th Bulgarian military contingent that is back was built six months ago according to their future tasks, and in its entirety the contingent involved a security company, military advisors and staff officers in the mission command headquarters.

The National Commander of the 35th contingent during the past six months was Colonel Georgi Margitin, Commander of the Security Company – Major Stefan Dimov, and Deputy National Commander – Colonel Kamen Ivanov.

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BulgarianMilitary.com