ZAGREB, May 23 (Xinhua) -- Croatian Defense Minister Damir Krsticevic announced here on Thursday that the government is negotiating with the U.S. and Sweden about the purchase of fighter jets.
The concrete results are expected by the end of the year, the minister told reporters after the government session.
"In my opinion, fighter jets are necessary because state and its military are stronger with them. The Croatian government is still determined to provide this strategic issue. We are having conversations with the U.S. and Sweden, and we will notify the Croatian public once there is something concrete," Krsticevic told reporters.
He noted that Croatia has learned a lot in its first purchase attempt that failed in January. Last year, Croatia accepted the Israeli offer of 12 used, but upgraded, F-16 fighter jets in an effort to modernize its air force and replace its aging MIG-21 fighter jets.
The 3.1-billion-kuna (about 479 million U.S. dollars) deal was canceled after Israel failed to get approval from Washington to sell these jets. The U.S.-made jets were modernized, and Washington noted that it would approve the sale only after the jets are stripped of electronics that was installed by the Israeli Air Force.
Due to the failed deal with Israel, in February the opposition Social Democratic Party (SDP) initiated the vote of no-confidence in the parliament, but the motion was rejected by the majority.
"We know the cost of it from the first attempt, we know how other countries such as Slovakia and Bulgaria have tackled this issue, we have gathered experience and we are determined to solve this issue," the defense minister said on Thursday.
