site.btaDefence Ministry Extends Deadline for Submission of Updated Offers for Two Multi-Role Patrol Ships

November 12 (BTA) - Defence Minister Krassimir
Karakachanov told reporters Tuesday that he has just signed an
order to extend by 15 days the deadline for submission of offers
 for two mulri-role patrol ships for the Bulgarian Navy.

The purchase of the patrol ships is one of three key armed
forces modernization projects in Bulgaria together with the
purchase of F-16 jet fighters for the Air Force and armoured
vehicles for the Land Forces. Three companies submitted offers
in June: Fr. Lurssen Werft GmbH & Co.KG (Germany), MTG Dolphin
(Bulgaria), and Fincantieri (Italy), and have been asked to make
 improvements in the offers.

Bulgaria is prepared to spend close to 1 billion leva including
VAT for the patrol ships.

The new deadline for the improved offers is December 6.

Karakachanov said that he decided for the extension to make sure
 he is not accused of rushing the project in the interest of a
specific tenderer. 
 
He still expects that this coming spring the contract will be
ready to be signed.  

He also said that some 300 million leva will be spent in the
next three years for building infrastructure for the F-16s that
this country will purchase but the real needs will likely be for
 less.

He believes that the planned 2020 defence budget of over 2
billion leva will meet the needs of his Ministry.  He noted that
 the defence budget has been growing steadily in the past three
years. The wages of service persons will increase by 10 per cent
 and there are appropriations for equipment modernization, for
maintenance of the existing combat equipment and for recruiting
new service persons. RY/LN/