Canard aircraft

Bulgaria must choose new fighter planes for its air force in the next six months, caretaker Defence Minister Velizar Shalamanov said during an international conference at Sofia's Defence Academy.

The country can choose among three offers - new Gripen fighters, used Eurofighter from Italy or used F16 from Portugal - and according to Shalamanov nothing is predetermined.

Alliance forces have started air combat exercises MACE XVI in Slovakia with 14 member states participating, the country's Defense Minister says.

As many as 660 personnel is expected to attend, and two non-NATO countries of the Partnership for Peace
program have also joined, Martina Belkovska was quoted by the Global Post as saying.

Bulgarian Air Force is participating in the NATO exercise Ramstein Guard-8 which takes place between September 22 - October 3 in the airspace of Bulgaria, Romania and Greece, the Defense Ministry in Sofia said in a statement.

The main objective of the exercise is to improve the preparation of forces and air defense tools of NATO member states during radio-frequency interference.

Bulgaria's Government will decide on the future of the project for buying new fighter planes for the air forces in June, said Defense Minister Angel Naydenov. 

Swiss voters rejected Sunday the introduction of a EUR 3300 worth minimum wage, which would have been the world's highest.

Some 76 percent declared themselves against the minimum CHF 22 (EUR 18) an hour that workers in one of the richest countries could receive under the proposal which was put forward on a referendum, according to the Swiss daily Neue Zuercher Zeitung.