President Rumen Radev said Wednesday that Bulgaria had paid a high price for the F-16 fighter jets, but that this was [ex-Prime Minister and GERB leader Boyko] Borissov’s choice in 2019.
Radev was answering a question about possible problems with the aircraft.
Earlier on Wednesday in Valencia, Spain, Borissov told reporters that Radev had quietly informed journalists travelling with him that one F-16 was grounded and urged them to ask [Defence Minister Atanas] Zapryanov. Borissov said he had already told Zapryanov the Air Force chief must be dismissed if Radev’s claim proved true, asking, “How could anyone agree to buy a broken aircraft for USD 100 million?”
Radev responded that, instead of shifting blame onto pilots and Defence Ministry leaders who “work tirelessly to mitigate political negligence,” Borissov and his government should allocate more funding so the “excellent, combat-capable aircraft” can remain airworthy—though he warned that achieving this would be difficult.
/DT/
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