ZAGREB, Nov 5 (Hina) - The Croatian Interior Ministry on Thursday +signed an agreement with Canadian company "Bombardier" on the +purchase of a US$22 million-worth "Canadair" firefighting plane.+ Based on a World Bank loan, the
agreement was signed by Croatian +Interior Minister Ivan Penic and "Bombardier" head of +administration Thomas Appleton.+ Penic recalled the Croatian government and parliament decided +Croatia needed six Canadair planes, two per airport in Split, +Dubrovnik, and Zadar in the summer months.+ The signing of the purchase agreement is a great moment for the +Interior Ministry and for professional firefighting in Croatia, he +said.+ Penic added the new CL 415 "Canadair" was the fourth firefighting +plane Croatia was purchasing. Prior to the recent war, Croatia had +four firefighting planes, which were all abducted by Yugoslavia. +Currently there are two left, and the
ZAGREB, Nov 5 (Hina) - The Croatian Interior Ministry on Thursday
signed an agreement with Canadian company "Bombardier" on the
purchase of a US$22 million-worth "Canadair" firefighting plane.
Based on a World Bank loan, the agreement was signed by Croatian
Interior Minister Ivan Penic and "Bombardier" head of
administration Thomas Appleton.
Penic recalled the Croatian government and parliament decided
Croatia needed six Canadair planes, two per airport in Split,
Dubrovnik, and Zadar in the summer months.
The signing of the purchase agreement is a great moment for the
Interior Ministry and for professional firefighting in Croatia, he
said.
Penic added the new CL 415 "Canadair" was the fourth firefighting
plane Croatia was purchasing. Prior to the recent war, Croatia had
four firefighting planes, which were all abducted by Yugoslavia.
Currently there are two left, and the "new CL 415 (...) is more
state-of-the-art and with much better performances," the minister
said.
He added the new plane should be delivered in Paris next June.
Cooperation with the "Bombardier" company has become traditional,
Penic said, adding possible cooperation in the production of
airplanes with Croatian companies would be discussed today.
The Interior Minister thanked the Canadian company for the
successful cooperation with Croatian authorities, and announced
imminent negotiations on the purchase of a fifth plane, to be
financed through the Canadian Export Stimulation Agency.
"Bombardier's" Appleton expressed satisfaction at having the
opportunity of continuing good cooperation with Croatia, and with
the fact that "Bombardier" would further assist Croatia in fire-
prevention preparations.
Appleton said Croatian firefighters had achieved outstanding
results in firefighting along Croatia's coastline, and expressed
his support to Croatia's endeavours to that end.
Also present at the signing of the agreement were Croatian
Agriculture and Forestry Minister Zlatko Dominikovic, Croatian Air
Force commander Major General Josip Culetic, Canadian Ambassador
to Croatia Donald W. Smith, representatives of the World Bank
Office in Zagreb, and others.
(hina) ha