Prague expects to renew its lease on 14 Swedish fighter jets beyond 2015, outgoing Czech prime minister Jiri Rusnok said Monday.<\/p>\n
“The negotiations are at an advanced stage. The ball is actually in our court. The Swedes are awaiting our final answer to their recent offer,” he told reporters.<\/p>\n
The new contract with Stockholm over the supersonic JAS-39 Gripen combat jets could be inked at the end of the year or in early 2014 by the new government, he added.<\/p>\n
Snap elections are scheduled for late October.<\/p>\n
The Czech army paid nearly 20 billion koruna (780 million euros, $1 billion) to lease the Gripens for a decade starting 2005.<\/p>\n
The aircraft include 12 one-seater JAS-39 Cs and two two-seater training JAS-39 Ds.<\/p>\n
In July of last year, former Czech prime minister Petr Necas said Stockholm was being “uncooperative” regarding the renewal.<\/p>\n
According to press reports, the Swedes had been refusing to lower the lease price.<\/p>\n
Necas stepped down in June amid a spy and bribery scandal. The president appointed a new technocratic government led by Rusnok, but that cabinet lost a confidence vote this month.<\/p>\n
“The next government will make the final decision on the Gripens, but this (Rusnok) cabinet will do its utmost to facilitate it,” Defence Minister Vlastimil Picek said Monday.<\/p>\n
He added that the new contract will be a better deal for the Czech Republic and valid for “a period longer than 10 years”.<\/p>\n