The former management of the Defence Ministry signed a contract just before the general election in June for installing new devices in ten helicopters, one of which officially became obsolete on July 31, 2010, said new Defence Minister Ľubomír Galko (SaS) on Wednesday, August 11, the TASR newswire wrote.
Galko stated that his ministry has already filed a criminal complaint concerning the violation of the duty to administer public property and the abuse of power of a public official.
According to information published in the media, previous ministry officials ordered the installation of new devices in the 20-year-old helicopters for €57 million. The new officials at the ministry have reservations about the contract, claiming that it is suspect due to non-standard and specially-designed practices, TASR wrote.
The Slovak air force has 14 Mi 17 helicopters in total. The other nine helicopters that should be modernised will become obsolete between 2011 and 2014. Talks on prolonging their operational lives were due to be discussed with the manufacturers of the helicopters at the end of July and the beginning of August, two months after the modernisation contract was signed.
Source: TASR
Compiled by Zuzana Vilikovská from press reports
The Slovak Spectator cannot vouch for the accuracy of the information presented in its Flash News postings.
