Ruling coalition to audit contract for F-35 fighter jets

The new Czech government plans to audit the contract for the purchase and operation of 24 F-35 supersonic fighter jets, worth around 150 billion crowns, as well as payments already made, Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Alena Schillerová (ANO) told Czech Television. “We are studying the contract, the conditions, the advance payments, how they were paid, whether there was overpayment, and so on,” Schillerová said.

Defence Minister Jaromír Zůna (nominated by the SPD) said earlier that his ministry would carry out an analysis, including the option of terminating the contract. However the ANO party has made it clear that it is not in favour of terminating the agreement. Deputy Prime Minister Karel Havlíček (ANO) previously said the purchase of the F-35 jets was a settled matter.