Part of the debate – in the House of Commons at 12:00 am on 17 December 1947.
Mr Ernest Bevin
, Wandsworth Central
12:00,
17 December 1947
Our estimates of the present strength of military and semi-military units and organisations in Bulgaria are as follow:
Army.—76, 000.
Frontier guards.—10,000.
Militia (which is a police force).—80,000 to 100,000.
Labour battalions (who receive little serious military training and whose strength fluctuates according to season).—40,000 to 80,000.
The Bulgarian Government were asked last October for details of strengths, training and equipment but have not yet furnished this information.