Bulgaria Gets Last Cougar in Troubled Eurocopter Deal

The 12th Cougar was received Friday by the Bulgarian Air Force. Photo by Defense Ministry

Bulgaria's Defense Ministry has received the last of the 12th Cougar helicopters that it purchased as part of what became known as a notorious arms deal.

The 12th Cougar helicopter arrived from France on Friday, and was received at the Krumovo base of the Bulgarian Air Force. The Cougar was flown from France by a Bulgarian crew.

According to a statement of the Bulgarian Defense Ministry, the 12 Cougars for the Air Force are to be used for "combat searches and rescue operations."

The deal for the purchase of 12 Cougars and 6 Panther helicopters from Eurocopter became notorious because of the conditions on which the past Bulgarian governments agreed on, according to current Defense Minister Gen. Anyu Angelov.

In August 2010, Bulgaria's government allocated BGN 256 M from the country's fiscal reserve in order to complete several arms deals with foreign companies widely seen as problematic, including the deal with Eurocopter.

The contract with Eurocopter was singed by former Defense Minister Nikolay Svinarov in January 2005. Under it, Bulgaria is supposed to receive 12 Cougar helicopters for its Air Force, and 6 Panther helicopters for its navy at the price of EUR 358 M.

By August, Bulgaria had received 11 Cougar and 3 Panther helicopters, and had paid 60% of the entire deal – about EUR 240 M – which is the guarantee deposit.

Under the contract, if the Bulgarian state fails to pay the entire due sum, the bank servicing the deal can withdraw 60% of the value of each of the helicopters whose delivery has not been paid for from the EUR 240 M deposit made by the Bulgarian government.

Subsequently, the Bulgarian government decided to pay all the money for the Cougars and to ask Eurocopter to renegotiate the deal in order to leave the 3 Panthers. The Defense Ministry has made no formal announcements as to whether the delivery of the remaining three Panther helicopters has been successfully renounced.

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