site.btaParliament Overrides Presidential Veto of F-16 Deal

107 MILITARY - F-16 DEAL - VETO - REJECTED

Parliament Overrides
Presidential Veto
of F-16 Deal


July 26 (BTA) - Bulgaria's National Assembly on Friday overrode a presidential veto and approved without changes a bill ratifying 2.1 billion leva worth of agreements with the United States on the purchase of eight F-16 Block 70 fighter aircraft for the Bulgarian Air Force and the provision of related equipment and technical support.

The vote was 73 in favour of the veto and 128 against it, with 3 abstentions. The votes in favour of the veto came from BSP for Bulgaria (61), Volya (6), and the United Patriots (6). The votes against it came from GERB (91), the United Patriots (11), the Movement for Rights and Freedoms - MRF (24), and independents (2). The 3 abstentions were registered among the United Patriots.

During the parliamentary debate on the veto, the BSP for Bulgaria parliamentary group described the four agreements as "agreements on unconditional surrender" which are unfavourable for Bulgaria mainly because of the price.

GERB, MRF and VMRO (one of the parties in the United Patriots coalition) defended the deal, describing it as a correct, strategic choice for Bulgaria's national security and dismissing President Rumen Radev's veto as "stupid."

Roumen Gechev (BSP for Bulgaria) opened the debate by saying: "The Economy Ministry has definitively given up any chance for claims and protection based on national sovereignty and is not going to file any claims with an international arbitration institution. Possible disputes will be settled in accordance with US law." This, according to Gechev, practically means that Bulgaria cannot complain to anyone if disagreement arises. The warranty period for the aircraft is six months, and there are no clauses in the agreements to require compensation from the US side for possible non-compliance, he added.

Discussing the price of the deal, Gechev said a similar deal with Bahrain sets the price of a single airplane at 146 million US dollars, which is 53 million dollars less than the price agreed with Bulgaria, although the package is comparable.

Hristo Gadjev (GERB) said this is a standard deal; the governments of Germany and Greece have got the same conditions. His fellow party member Valentin Radev noted that this is the first such investment in combat assets, and it is a correct choice for Bulgaria's national security.

"These are standard agreements, they are clear, and they are the same for all," Defence Committee Chair Konstantin Popov (GERB) argued.

Toma Bikov (GERB) said the President's veto of the F-16 deal has been "one of the most stupid vetoes" based on "ridiculous reasoning." "If we accept the veto, the upgrading of the Armed Forces will be delayed by about 10 years," Bikov warned.

Yordan Tsonev (MRF) explained that Bulgarian law allows such a large-scale purchase of equipment to be carried out after direct negotiations with the seller, without competitive bidding. Tsonev said: "It is not just about money and conditions, it is about security, partnership and a strategic choice."

Milen Mihov (United Patriots/VMRO) said: "I do not accept the view that we are making an investment in the US economy, just as we have never invested in the European economy, or the Soviet economy of the past. Any spending on armament is an investment in Bulgaria's national security."

Valeri Simeonov (United Patriots/NFSB) said his party will not support the veto, but it will not back the ratification of the deal either. According to him, President Radev imposed the veto "insincerely and hypocritically."

It is "an extortionate deal" and "an unnecessary expense item," given the Bulgarians' low living standards, said the Volya parliamentary group, reiterating their earlier arguments.

Deputy Defence Minister Atanas Zapryanov noted that the US Congress is expected to cover 60 million dollars of the price "for this project, for these capabilities." "It is fundamentally wrong to compare agreements with countries for which we do not know the parameters," Zapryanov said. IG/VE
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