Bulgaria's parliamentary Defense Committee has approved decisions to increase the value of contracts for Stryker combat vehicles and to acquire seven Tripartite-class minesweepers, Defense Minister Dimitar Stoyanov said. He expressed hope that the National Assembly will approve the deals this week, allowing the government to move ahead with their implementation.
"I expect that they will be voted on in the National Assembly in the same way tomorrow, or another day, depending on the parliament's program, and then we will proceed with action. The first minesweeper is ready to be received within September," Stoyanov told reporters in parliament.
The minister also confirmed that US tanker aircraft currently stationed in Bulgaria are leaving the country permanently. The parliamentary authorization for their presence runs until October 1, but Stoyanov said no additional parliamentary decision is needed to end the deployment.
"At the moment we have a document stating that the planes are leaving the country. The permission given by the parliament is until October. However, it is not necessary to vote on another decision to terminate the stay accordingly," he said.
According to Stoyanov, the US side has indicated that it currently has no plans to return the aircraft to Bulgaria.
