Polish air force breaths a sigh of relief thanks to delivery of German MiG21's

On Friday in a military base near Rostock (Germany), Poland received 23 MiG-23 fighter jets from the German government. Poland paid a symbolic price of just one euro for the machines valued at over $300 million. After their renovation in Bydgoszcz, the planes will be stationed at a military base in Malbork. "We will drink a beer toast for them" said German Defense Minister Peter Struck. According to his Polish counterpart, Jerzy Szmajdziński, it was a present for the Polish air force. "Our military are planning to scrap at least ten of our own MiG-21's this year and we would have been in serious trouble if the German government had not offered their help" he said, adding that the fighters will be in service until 2012-2014. (Rzeczpospolita, Sept. 27-28; p. B2) A.Z.