(ANSA) - SOFIA, OCTOBER 2 - Bulgaria's defence ministry announced that four offers for the supply of fighter jets for the Bulgarian Air Force have been received, all of them complying with Nato standards. Two of them came from the United States, one for new F-16s and the other for new F-18s. Sweden proposed new Gripen aircraft. The fourth offer, coming from Italy, pertains second-hand Eurofighters. Two committees will evaluate the proposals, explained deputy defense Atanas Zapryanov. ''The first committee will make its assessment in two weeks, then another committee will have to deal with the different versions, whereas the defense minister Krassimir Karakachanov will write the final proposal'', Zapryanov added. This is the first stage of the modernisation programme of the Bulgarian Air Force. 1.8 billion lev (about 900 million euros) will be spent to buy at least eight fighters. In the second stage, 8 more fighter jets will be purchased. Meanwhile, the Soviet Mig-29 fighters will remain operative.

The authorities also expected Israel, Germany, France and Portugal to participate in the tender, but until yesterday's deadline no offer had arrived in Sofia from those countries.

(ANSA).