ZAGREB, Jan 16 (Hina) – After meeting with Croatian Defence Minister Damir Krstičević in Zagreb on Tuesday, Ukraine Defence Minister Stepan Poltorak said that he supported the respect of all contractual obligations and that when he returns home he would discuss Croatia’s dissatisfaction with Ukraine’s overhaul of Croatia’s MiG fighter jets.
The two ministers addressed a press conference and spoke about cooperation in the defence industry, with one of the topics being the problem with Croatia’s MiG jets.
Krstičević informed his Ukraine counterpart of the problems encountered with Croatia’s 12 jets that were overhauled in Ukraine in July 2015, saying that only 3 were operational and that as a result Croatia has filed legal proceedings against those responsible.
“I support the execution of all contractual obligations,” Minister Poltorak told reporters.
The contract signed between a Croatian company and Ukraine in 2014 “hasn’t been entirely executed,” to the “detriment of the Croatian side,” Potorak said.
The Defence Ministry wasn’t a party in that contract, he said and added that he would “carefully examine” the matter on his return to Ukraine. He added that he would report about the MiGs at the highest level.
Croatian media claimed that the MiGs’ serial numbers that Croatia received from Ukraine did not correspond to the aircraft documents and that parts installed in the aicraft did not correspond to the accompanying documents.
Asked about the procurement of new fighter jets, Krstičević recalled that Croatia has received four bids from the US, Israel, Greece and Sweden and that a decision would be made.
Croatia’s defence industry known in the world:
The aim of today’s meeting was to advance defence cooperation, Krstičević said and aded that several areas had been identified for cooperation between both countries.
“Croatia’s defence industry is known and recognised around the world. Croatia’s solider is completely equipped with Croatian equipment and arms,” he said.
He said that an agreement had been signed today between Ukraine’s Defence Ministry and Croatia’s Galeb company, which manufactures military uniforms, but that the agreement still has to be defined.
Ukraine’s delegation met representatives of Croatian companies HS-Produkt, Sestan-Busch, DOK-ING, Kroko, Hemco, Cateks, and Minister Polotrak expressed interest in cooperation with Galeb, HS-Produkt and Sestan-Busch.
