Czech government to audit contract for F-35 fighter jets, says finance minister

The Czech government plans to audit the contract for the purchase and operation of 24 F-35 fighter jets, the country's finance minister said Sunday.

The coalition government, led by Prime Minister Andrej Babis, is planning to assess the conditions and advance payments for the F-35 fighter jet deal, worth 150 billion Czech koruna ($7.2 billion), Alena Schillerova told Czech Television

"We are studying the contract, the conditions, the advance payments, how they were paid, whether there was overpayment, and so on," the Radio Prague International quoted Schillerova as saying.

Earlier, Defense Minister Jaromir Zuna from SDP party said that his ministry would carry out an analysis, including the option of terminating the contract although the Babis' ANO, the largest party in the coalition government, has said that it is not in favor of terminating the agreement.

Meanwhile, Deputy Prime Minister Karel Havlicek also previously stated the purchase of the F-35 jets was a settled matter.

In 2023, the Czech government, led by then-Prime Minister Petr Fiala, approved the acquisition of 24 jets, which is expected to cost 150 billion Czech koruna ($7.3 billion), including training, equipment, weapons, and lifecycle support.