Bulgaria will not break off MiG maintenance deal with Russia
The anti-monopoly service of Bulgaria refused to annul the government’s deal with the Russian aircraft construction company MiG. The demand of the Ukrainian company Ukrinmash was thus rejected, Reuters reported on Tuesday January 2 with reference to a statement by the Bulgarian anti-monopoly regulator. The decision can be challenged within three days.
In December 2017, the Bulgarian Defense Ministry commissioned MiG to service 15 old fighters. The four-year deal was estimated at a value of $50.2 million. On December 20, it came out that the agreement’s validity was temporarily suspended due to complaints by Ukrinmash. Bulgarian Defense Minister Krasimir Karakachanov called the actions of the Ukrainian company an attempt to “sabotage” the agreement.
Bulgaria joined NATO in 2004 and became part of the EU three years later. However, most of the country’s military equipment is Soviet, or has been modified with components from Russia.