Hungary strikes fighter jet deal with Sweden

(ANSA-AFP) - BUDAPEST, FEB 23 - Hungary deepened military cooperation with Sweden on Friday, with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban announcing the acquisition of four Swedish-made fighter jets ahead of a vote on Stockholm's NATO bid. The announcement was a crucial step towards unblocking Sweden's bid to join the alliance, after resistance from Orban's nationalist government which accused Swedish officials of being hostile to it over rule-of-law issues.
    Budapest has a fleet of 14 Jas-39 Gripen fighter jets it operates under a leasing contract signed in 2001, which has since been extended twice. "Today, we have reached an agreement to add four aircraft to the Hungarian Defence Forces' Gripen fleet," Orban said after talks with Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson. "On Monday, the Hungarian parliament will meet and take the necessary decisions, and with this we have closed one phase and opened a new one," he added. (ANSA-AFP).