Bulgaria has paid the first tranche for the Stryker combat vehicles

Bulgaria has paid the first tranche for the Stryker armoured fighting vehicles, Defence Minister Todor Tagarev said. After the country chose the US machines for the modernisation of its ground forces, it had to pay the first tranche of about 263 million dollars for the contract to come into force.
"At least I know that on Wednesday or Thursday the currency was already purchased. Payment has been made. In fact, the contract takes effect after the payment. The contract itself was prepared so that the validity of the offer was until December 15. I think we were able to manage, albeit with a bit of tension at the end," Tagarev said.
The defence minister also said it was high time the Soviet Army Monument was moved out of the centre of Sofia.
"We see that this is really a sign, a totem of Russia's superiority over Bulgaria. It is high time it was moved out of the centre of Sofia. I don't see what Russia can say beyond what it has already said. Let us stress here once again that it is not Bulgaria that seeks enemies, it is not Bulgaria that declares Russia an enemy. On the contrary, Russia has declared NATO an enemy, respectively us," the military minister said. /BGNES