Bulgarias Defence Minister Vesselin Bliznakov and the deputy president of the Israeli company Elbit Systems Menahem Bargev will today sign a contract for the renovation and modernisation of Mi-17 and Mi-24 helicopters. Elbit Systems was selected to carry out the project in December 2004. In March Bliznakov halted the procedure since the company did not manage to meet the initially set conditions, mediapool.bg reported.
Elbit appealed against the decision in the Supreme Administrative Court, which cancelled the Defence Ministry order. The company said that it was ready to carry out the project in the shortest term possible. Bliznakov said that the ministry would accept the courts ruling. The initial agreement includes repair and modernisation of 18 army helicopters. Of the aircraft, 12 are fighters and six are transports. The value of the deal totals 57 million euro, according to unofficial estimates.
