Bulgaria Moves Closer to Deal with Poland for MiG-29s Repair

Bulgaria's government approved on Wednesday a draft agreement on defence cooperation with Poland, moving a step closer to a deal for the repair of Bulgarian Air Force MiG-29 fighter jets by Polish military aircraft works.

The document provides for cooperation in various areas of military partnership between the two NATO member states including "maintenance, overhaul, modernization and conversion of weapons and military equipment", according to a government press release.

Defence Minister Nikolay Nenchev said last week that the contracts with Poland for repair of the engines of Bulgaria's MiG-29 fighter jets are expected to be finalised by the end of August.

The intergovernmental agreement will most likely be signed between August 27 and 29, when Polish Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister Tomasz Siemoniak is scheduled to visit Bulgaria.

Until now, the maintenance of the Soviet-made MiG-29s operated by the Bulgarian Air Force has been carried out by Russia.

The maintenance contract expires in September. Keen to decrease its dependence on Russia in light of Moscow's involvement in the crisis in Ukraine, Bulgaria has been negotiating a deal with Poland.