Bulgaria to start negotiations with Saab for Gripen

Bulgaria’s Prime Minister Boyko Borissov has confirmed that his country will kick start its fighter replacement exercise by negotiating with Saab for Gripen fighters.

SAAB Jas 39 Gripens in flying formation
By Stefan Sundkvist [CC BY 2.0], via Wikimedia Commons

“Either next Wednesday or on Wednesday thereafter we will decide when to start negotiations (with Sweden),” Borissov told reporters after meeting Sweden’s Prime Minister Stefan Lofven in Brussels.

Borrissov added that a final go-ahead will only be made after considering the investments that Sweden will make in Bulgaria in return for buying Gripens.

Separately, Defence Minister Krassimir Karakachanov disclosed that second-hand Portuguese F-16s is ranked last after Eurofighters from Italy as the installments for the first five years are higher than expected.