Parliament rejects SDP's interpellation on failed fighter jet purchase

Zagreb - The Croatian Parliament on Friday rejected conclusions from a motion to discuss the government's work over the failed purchase of F-16 fighter jets from Israel, with 79 MPs voting against the interpellation submitted by the Social Democratic Party (SDP), 43 voting in favour and three abstaining.

The motion was signed by 16 Social Democrats who asked the government to summarise in the parliament what had happened in the process of failed jet purchase, and to say whether Defence Minister Damir Krsticevic and Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic were responsible for it.

The interpellation states that the government, notably the Ministry of Defence, did not act transparently and did not take account of Croatia's overall interests as well as that the failed jet purchase has jeopardised Croatia's security and its position in the international community.

They asked the government to explain the entire acquisition procedure, notably warnings and instructions provided by the US government, as well as that the Ministry of Defence obtain approval from the parliamentary Defence Committee before launching a new procedure to buy military aircraft.

The deal to buy used F-16 jets from Israel fell through recently after Israel officially informed Croatia that it could not obtain approval from the United States for the delivery of the U.S.-made jets because the United States objected to Israel's plan to sell upgraded jets.

The government rejected the proposed conclusions in the interpellation as unfounded.

Author: Hina