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Is it preparing for war? Serbia borrows nearly two billion euros to pay for Rafale jets

Politiko 2025-06-10 15:50:39

Is it preparing for war? Serbia borrows nearly two billion euros to pay for

Serbia's Finance Minister, Sinisha Malli, said his country will borrow about 1.9 billion euros from foreign banks to make the full payment of 12 Rafale fighter jets purchased from France.

Speaking at a session of the Serbian Parliament, whose agenda included the confirmation of the loan agreement, Malli said that the first two advances for the procurement have already been paid to the French side.

He said that Serbia will receive the first Rafale aircraft in early 2028 and then every month at a time, Radio Free Europe's Balkan Service reports.

"With 12 multifunctional fighter jets, we will improve aviation and the military," Malli said.

The Government of Serbia, through the Ministry of Defense, reached an agreement on the purchase of these aircraft with the French company, Dassault Aviation, in August 2024.

The purchase of 12 French aircraft and other accompanying vehicles cost it 2.7 billion euros. Of this amount, 823.5 million euros or the entire advance has been paid.

For the new debt, the initial lenders will be several French banks and credit institutions. The purchase of these aircraft was agreed during the visit of French President Emmanuel Macron to Serbia in August 2024.

With this acquisition, Serbia, for the first time, introduced Western aircraft into its military aviation. Serbia has been cooperating with NATO members through the Partnership for Peace Programme since 2006, but officials in Belgrade insist that their country is militarily neutral.

In April 2024, when negotiations with France on the purchase of Rafale aircraft were taking place, the Serbian Ministry of Defense said that this does not mean any change in the country's military orientation./REL

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