Eurocopter pays 12 mln EUR to Portugal

LISBON – The Portuguese government has received 12 mln EUR from
Eurocopter — a unit of the European Aeronautic, Defence and Space Co — after the company failed to deliver nine helicopters originally ordered in 1999, the defence ministry confirmed.
A spokesman for the ministry added that it is seeking to renegotiate the contract.
The previous socialist government had ordered the EC-635 helicopters in 1999 for a total of 34 mln EUR and they had been due to be delivered over the past year. Daily Publico and weekly O Independente had earlier reported none had been delivered even though the government has already paid 10.446 mln EUR to Eurocopter.
The reports said defence minister Paulo Portas had chosen to activate
banking guarantees on the deal worth 12 mln EUR and has not ruled out pulling out of the deal completely.
Portugal is the only country to have ordered this particular model, a
military version of the EC-135, but one which has yet to receive military certification.