A frame agreement for the maintenance of Bulgarian-owned jetfighters MIG-29 was signed Saturday between the Bulgarian Defense Ministry and the Russian aircraft corporation MIG.

The agreement was sealed at the Krumovo airfield where Bulgaria is marking the 100th anniversary of the country's aviation with a large-scale, two-day air show, titled "Skies for Everyone."

Bulgarian Air Force have 12 battle and 4 training planes. The financial parameters of the actual contract, which is to be signed in November, are BGN 1.148 M.

The agreement is effective for 48 months.

An additional BGN 7 to 8 M a year will be needed for the jetfighters, according to Deputy Defense Minister, Valentin Radev, who signed the document for the Bulgarian side.

Iliya Tarasenko, Deputy CEO of the Russian company, explained that the agreement commits MIG to modernize and service the jetfighters in the next four years.

Both reminded that the current agreement is an extension of joint work, dating from 2006, while the idea is by 2020 for Bulgaria to have modern jetfighters to protect the country's air space.

Radev says the agreement is a must also because the resource of the MIG-21 jetfighters expires in 2012.

The works under the MIG-29 contract will be carried at the Plovdiv military plant Georgi Benkovski, owned by the State's Terem company.

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