Reuters: The new Bulgarian government arms deals reviewed

Strapped Bulgaria reviewed transactions for the purchase of military equipment worth hundreds of million euros and will decide their future by the end of the year, said in an interview with Reuters, Defense Minister Nikolay Mladenov.

The economic crisis seriously affected the poorest EU member state by canceling the ongoing growth and 12 years forced the government of the center-right GERB party, won elections in July to cut state spending to maintain financial stability, the agency notes.
The former communist Balkan country joined NATO in 2004 and has since ordered a new helicopters, transport planes and military vehicles to reach the standards of NATO.
37-year-old Mladenov said in an interview with Reuters that his ministry had conversations with suppliers to determine which transactions may be delayed or deferred. He added that many of them do not meet the needs of the army.
„All contracts are scrutinized in the light of our needs and our financial capabilities,“ he says. „We spend a lot of money to buy equipment that we can use where we needed most – Afghanistan,“ stated the Minister.
The previous two governments ordered 18 helicopters in a deal worth 358 million euros with the European company EADS and Italy’s Finmeccanica gave the order for five transport planes worth 91 million euros.
So far Bulgaria has received 11 of the helicopters and two transport planes. Mladenov said that the ministry will stop now plans to order new ships and fighters for the economic crisis.
The Minister stated that the economic crisis will not force Bulgaria to reduce its military presence in Afghanistan, where about 500 soldiers, but not allow her to send reinforcements. „Given the economic potential of Bulgaria, our involvement is quite good, quite high,“ he says.

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