CHISINAU (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 09th August, 2023) The Romanian Defense Ministry canceled on Tuesday the tender for the construction of four multifunctional corvettes won by Naval Group, citing the French defense firm's failure to sign a contract on time.
"The Ministry of National Defense approved on Monday, August 7, the cancellation of a special procedure related to the Multifunctional Corvette Subsidy Program. The decision to cancel the procurement procedure was made because the bidder who was declared the winner failed to sign the framework agreement within the time limits requested by the customer," the ministry said in a statement.
All bidders were informed of the ministry's decision on Tuesday, it added.
In 2019, France's Naval Group and Romanian shipyard Santierul Naval Constanta won the Romanian Defense Ministry's tender for building four Gowind 2500 corvettes. The ships were to be constructed in Romania within seven years on the basis of the transfer of corvette construction technologies, equipment and maintenance procedures. The first ship was scheduled to be commissioned three years following the signing of the agreement. However, financial disputes took place between the parties during the COVID-19 pandemic. The signing was postponed several times until in mid-June, Romanian Defense Minister Angel Tilvar said that the ministry would choose another bidder if the French firm continues putting off the signing.
