The government – DISY is expeted to resolve the issue of the maintenance / repair the 11 Russian helicopters of the National Guard, as well as the issue of buying from Israel two rocket ships for protecting Cypriot EEZ. The maintenance of the helicopters will cost us another 28 million while the purchase of the rocket ships will cost us 100 million.
As the newspaper ‘Alithia’ states, the issue has taken a dramatic deadlock, since DISY is negative on the adoption of such large budget, despite the fact that DISY is the ruling party. On the other hand, Government supported the approval of both funds.
For the 11 Russian helicopters of the National Guard, Russia is keeping a tough stance by demanding 28 million euros for their maintenance, without receiving any discounts. This tough Russian attitude may be related to the purchase of the two rocket ships from Israel instead of Russia. On this matter, DISY is vertically negative and wrote to the Parliamentary Defense Committee that they do not approve the release of 28 million euros and they believe that the amount is excessive, while they are not convinced of the necessity of the 11 helicopters.
The helicopters purchased during Clerides governance, do not have a night equipment and they are considered as slow moving. Russia on the other hand, states that there is no possibility of reducing the amount of maintenance, knowing that our hands are ‘tied’, because if the rocket ships are not maintained, they will anchor and National Guard will be left without helicopters. According to some information that reached DISY, there is another Russian company which can maintain helicopters at a much lower price. Another concern is whether DISY would be better to allocate money for the purchase of other helicopters, not that many, but faster, instead of giving away 28 million euros to have 11 helicopters of an old technology.
On the next days a meeting is expected to take place between President Anastasiades and the President of DISY Averof Neofytou, in an attempt to break the deadlock.
Last Thursday, the government signed an agreement with Israel for the purchase of two offshore patrols regarding the surveillance of Cyprus EEZ, for 100 million euros. In the agreement there is a clause that the purchase will be validated once approved by the House, to release the relevant budget from the Parliamentary Defense Committee.
On the same day the Defence Committee met, in order to approve the release of the first installment for the purchase of two vessels worth 25 million euros.
On the issue of rocket ships all the committee members, even those of the opposition party, supported the release of 100 million euros for rocket ships, except DISY who did not express any opinion. DISY is not convinced of the necessity of spending 100 million because these vessels will not have any capable equipment to protect the Cypriot EEZ, in case it is necessary.
AKEL accused DISY for populism in the matter of the approval of 128 million euros and highlighted that because of this attitude, AKEL decided to diversify their position and not approve the 128 million after all. Previously AKEL’s position was the unanimously approval of the two funds and because of people reactions, all parties should share the cost.
