THE RUSSIAN Government is close to making a decision on whether to support Yakovlev's proposal to buy the bankrupt Fokker aircraft operation.
Edward Chechelov, a section head in the foreign-investment department of Russia's economics ministry, says that the Russian Government is near to deciding on the issue. "Most likely either a bank loan with a discount interest rate or State guarantees to a foreign bank will be issued," he says.
The Yakovlev offer has been criticised in parts of Russia, where people such as Alexander Yermishin, general manager of the Yak-42 production plant at Saratov, believes that the money should be spent on supporting local industry. Fokker continues to produce aircraft for customers willing to pay in cash.
Source: Flight International