A delegation of the Swedish Defence and Security Export Agency (FXM) on Wednesday delivered to the Croatian government an offer for Swedish combat aircraft Gripen to replace the Croatian Air Force's MiG 21 planes that have been in use since the 1991-95 Homeland War.
The director of FXM's programme for Croatia, Jerry Lindbergh, told a news conference the Swedish government had submitted an offer for eight Gripen planes, technical support, a pilot training plan, and financing possibilities - a ten-year loan for the aircraft. He would not talk about the price.
If the Croatian government accepts the offer, the first Croatian Gripen will take off in January 2014, a year after the contract signing, Lindbergh said, adding that the offer for the planes and investing in the Croatian economy was valid until January.
One of the executives in the Saab car manufacturer and Gripen's marketing department, Pierre Gauffin, said that as part of the contract for the aircraft purchase, the Swedish industry offered offset cooperation with Croatian companies through Saab.
If the contract is signed, we are willing to invest in your companies, he said.
Asked by the press if Sweden would buy Croatia's 3. Maj shipyard, as reported by some media, Gauffin said the media had speculated on that sale, adding that Sweden would agree with the Croatian Economy Ministry on cooperation and investing in the Croatian economy, including in the shipyards.
