They are active fighters and the most used of all has less than 10 years in operation, the newspaper added.

Such a decision is followed by all legal proceedings to confirm the purchase and subsequently to sign the contract, which if rolled out this year, it will allow Zagreb to receive the first six fighters in 2024 and the remaining ones one year later.

The newspaper said the agreement would include aircraft, training and weapons, so the total cost would amount to less than one billion euros. In a Defense Council’s session, the support for the Executive to conduct the purchase was passed, so it allows to reveal who the final supplier will be.

Croatian President and Armed Force Supreme Commander Zoran Milanovic refused to comment on the Rafale fighter jets’ definition and noted that he did not make any suggestion about which model to purchase.

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