Italian Firm Discounts €879,000 for Late Delivery of Military Plane to Slovakia

Bratislava, January 2 (TASR) – The price of one of the two C-27J Spartan military transport aircraft purchased by Slovakia will be €879,000 lower than previously stipulated, as compensation for a late delivery in the autumn of 2017, Defence Minister Peter Gajdos (Slovak National Party/SNS) said at a press conference on Tuesday.

Moreover, the compensation could further swell, as the Defence Ministry is engaged in negotiations concerning delays in logistic support.

The other Spartan should be delivered in the first half of 2018, while no delays have been indicated so far.

The Italian supplier of the two aircraft was selected in a public tender dating back to 2008, but the contract, which includes five-year logistic support, was signed as late as in 2014.