Business News Zeman: Gripen meets all conditions for air force tender
The Prime Minister Milos Zeman has announced that the British-Swedish consortium BAE Systems-Saab has met all the conditions for a tender to supply the Czech air force with new aircraft. Mr Zeman said four ministers had been given one month to submit their objections to the offer of Gripen multi-role fighters to the cabinet before a final decision is taken at the end of November. The tender, the biggest in the country's post-Communist history, has been controversial, with the British-Swedish consortium the only manufacturer left in the bid after four companies pulled out earlier this year. The consortium has agreed to invest 150 percent of the price tag of between 24 and 36 new jet fighters back into the Czech Republic in an ambitious offset programme.
