site.btaParliament Ratifies Agreement with Poland on Logistical Support for Bulgarian MiG-29 Jet Fighters

Parliament Ratifies Agreement with Poland on Logistical Support for Bulgarian MiG-29 Jet Fighters

Sofia, November 27 (BTA) - Parliament ratified an intergovernmental agreement between Bulgaria and Poland on providing logistical support for Bulgarian MiG-29 fighters signed on October 22 in Warsaw. The ratification was passed at first and second reading, respectively in a 133-42 vote with no abstentions and a 130-41 vote.

The left-wing AVB Movement did not take part in the vote. Parliament also rejected a motion of the left Bulgarian Socialist Party for a roll-call vote.

In the debate before the ratification Defence Minister Nikolay Nenchev recalled the key parameters of the agreement: repair of six engines and temporary use of two Polish engines for two years with 200 flight hours. The value of the repair works is 6.138 million euro, or 1,023,000 euro for one engine. The transportation costs will be covered by Poland. The operational resource of the engines after the overhaul will be 350 flight hours and the full warranty will be for two years.

The two Polish jet fighter engines for temporary use by Bulgaria will be provided within a term of 20 days after the agreement's entry into force.

The first two overhauled engines will be delivered no later than seven months from the agreement's entry into force. This term includes the time for issuing the requisite decisions on expert of the engines by the authorized state bodies and the transportation time. The next overhauled engines will be delivered in Bulgaria within a term of eleven months after the agreement's entry into force.

The repair works on the engines of the MiG 29 jet fighters will be carried out without infringing on the intellectual rights of third parties, Nenchev told Parliament.

The Polish Foreign Ministry has meanwhile notified Bulgaria that all internal legal procedures necessary for the agreement to become effective have been completed.

Nenchev said the agreement is to become effective as of the date when a notification is sent on the completion of the Bulgarian internal procedure (i.e. the ratification by Parliament).

Nenchev said also that the air worthiness is of primary importance for the protection of the Bulgarian air space and the country's proper participation in the implementation of assignments as a NATO member state.

He went on explain how Poland was selected to perform the overhaul of the Bulgarian MiG fighters. He said that while looking for opportunities to overcome the dependence on third countries and diversification in respect of the MiG-29 jet fighters' maintenance, the Ministry analyzed the framework agreement with the MiG Russian Aircraft Corporation for technical assistance in the maintenance and operation of the Bulgarian MiGs. Along with this, it studied the capacity of economic entities from EU member states and countries with which NATO has relations, and Poland was found to be the only country that has the needed economic and technological capabilities.