Fri, May 25 2012

Bulgaria to return one of its Government Airbus aircraft

Wed, Sep 30 2009 15:03 CET

byNick Iliev

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Bulgaria to return one of its Government Airbus aircraft

Photo: Pascal Rossignol

One of the two Airbus aircraft bought for the needs of the Bulgarian Government will be returned to its owners, while the second one will be kept in service, Transport, Information Technology and Communications Minister Alexandar Tsvetkov said at a  Cabinet conference on September 30 2009, the Bulgarian news agency has reported.

On April 13 2009, Deutsche Bank secured 75 per cent of the funds needed to lease two Airbus A319 jets for the Bulgarian Government.

Deustche Bank and the Transport Ministry leased the planes from BHAir, the company supposed to buy the jets from German air carrier AirBerlin. Each aircraft was priced $44.2 million each.

Earlier, on September 23, the Bulgarian Government scrutinised a report submitted by the Transport and Information Technology Minister Alexander Tsvetanov for the termination of the leasing contract of two, or at least one, of the Airbus 319 aircraft, because the aircraft were deemed insufficient for requirements due to their "very low range" and need "to refuel frequently".

Subsequently it was revised by the prosecutor's office following a report, issued by the ministry, that  "abnormalities and wrongdoings were committed upon selecting the type of aircraft".

Finally, Prime Minister Boiko Borissov decided to terminate the contract because the transport ministry's budget could not afford it.

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