Visit our website: HTTP://WWW.STOPNATO.ORG.UK --------------------------------------------- Two Articles Below: "Bulgaria plans to buy F-16 jets to revamp its air force to NATO standards, but first needs to upgrade and sell its Soviet-built MIG-29 fighters to raise cash, Defence Minister Nikolai Svinarov said on Thursday." "The World Bank said on Thursday it will sustain its funding strategy for Bulgaria and urged the new government to complete privatisation, restructure the energy sector and fight corruption." INTERVIEW-Bulgaria mulls buying F-16s as part of NATO bid By Elisaveta Konstantinova SOFIA, Sept 13 (Reuters) - Bulgaria plans to buy F-16 jets to revamp its air force to NATO standards, but first needs to upgrade and sell its Soviet-built MIG-29 fighters to raise cash, Defence Minister Nikolai Svinarov said on Thursday. Winning an invitation to join NATO at a 2002 summit is a priority for the new Prime Minister Simeon-Saxe Coburg, known as ex-king Simeon II. His cabinet took office in July after winning a general election. "A small army with high military capability compatible with NATO armed forces is our goal," Svinarov said in an interview with Reuters. However, the high cost of reducing its cumbersome Soviet-style army and maintaining ageing Soviet equipment would consume funds which could otherwise be used for new purchases. Bulgaria's previous centre-right UDF government had requested from the United States delivery options for between 12 and 22 new or ex-U.S. Air Force F-16s. "The ministry has not changed its position. We will seek to buy F-16 and F-18 fighters. We also need to expand our helicopter park. But this can happen if we can afford it," said Svinarov. Sofia has 21 MIG-29s of which only three are airworthy due to lack of spare parts. "We have planes in our resource, but they cannot fly. First we have to repair and upgrade them and then decide whether to use them or to sell them. At the moment they are unsellable," Svinarov said. Selling several upgraded MIG-29s to buy U.S. fighters is one of the options, Svinarov said. Another option involved upgrading some of the MIG-29s with NATO compatible systems, which would help meet NATO requirements without the cost of replacing the entire air fleet. "We need all kinds of military planes including transport ones and helicopters," he said. Bulgaria launched ambitious military reforms two years ago to cut the 93,000-strong armed forces by half and bring equipment up to NATO standards. Svinarov said Sofia hoped to have downsized its army to around 63,000 from some 77,000 men now by the 2002 summit. Army lay-offs have complex social consequences and are very costly, he said. "A great share of our budget goes for severance payments to redundant personnel and training to help them adjust to civilian life," he said. "It is in our interest to complete downsizing the army as soon as possible. It will enable us in the next years to sharply increase spending on NATO compatible equipment." 09:32 09-13-01 World Bank backs Bulgaria new government policy SOFIA, Sept 13 (Reuters) - The World Bank said on Thursday it will sustain its funding strategy for Bulgaria and urged the new government to complete privatisation, restructure the energy sector and fight corruption. "The reform ideas of the government and the World Bank coincide. The challenge ahead is to implement these reforms," World Bank Country Director for Bulgaria Andrew Vorkink told reporters. Vorkink arrived on a brief visit to discuss reform policy with Bulgaria's new Prime Minister Simeon Saxe-Coburg, who took office in July after winning a general election. "If Bulgaria continues with reforms it had embarked on, the World Bank plans to commit up to $750 million over three years," Vorkink said. Saxe-Coburg pledged to boost growth, reduce some taxes, speed up privatisation and increase social spending. He is also due to hike heating and power rates from October. The government's agenda includes completing sales of big state companies like state telecom BTC, Bulgartabak tobacco monopoly and the Varna shipyard. "I do not expect a fundamental shift in the amount of funding that we've seen in the past few years," he said after meeting Saxe-Coburg. A Country Assistance Strategy (CAS) for Bulgaria announced in May involved a three-year funding plan, which envisaged lending of between $220 million and $750 million, depending on how well the country meets reform and growth targets. Vorkink also introduced the new World Bank country manager in Bulgaria Oscar de Bruyn Kops, who succeeds Thomas O'Brien World Bank's commitments to Bulgaria amount to $1.54 billion for 27 projects since 1990. 09:39 09-13-01 ------------------------------------------------- This Discussion List is the follow-up for the old stopnato @listbot.com that has been shut down ==^================================================================ EASY UNSUBSCRIBE click here: http://topica.com/u/?a84x2u.a9spWA Or send an email To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] This email was sent to: archive@jab.org T O P I C A -- Register now to manage your mail! http://www.topica.com/partner/tag02/register ==^================================================================
