Slovakia delays decision to replace Russian fighter jetsBRATISLAVA (Reuters) - Slovakia will postpone a planned fighter jet purchase pending a broader upgrade of its armed forces, the defense minister said on Wednesday, following warnings that such a move could prolong its dependence on Russia. The central European NATO member state has been in talks with several firms about replacing its aging Russian-made MiG-29s. Peter Gajdos mentioned U.S. F-16 fighter jets from Lockheed Martin and Gripen jets made by Sweden s Saab as options. Neighboring Hungary and the Czech Republic already operate the latter. Slovakia was expected to make decision by the end of this month, but Gajdos said this would be delayed.  We need to modernize the ground forces which are the backbone of our military. While we have been replacing some parts of the air force, the ground forces have not been renewed for decades,  he said.      Slovakia is due to spend about 6.5 billion euros ($7.80 billion) by 2030 to modernize its army, the defense ministry said in a strategy document, released last week and to be debated in the first half of 2018. Its spending on defense is due to rise from 1.1 percent of GDP to 1.6 percent in 2020 and 2.0 percent by 2024. Prime Minister Robert Fico said last month Slovakia should pick  European solutions  for the army if it wanted to be part of a more deeply integrated core European Union. Gajdos, from the nationalist, eurosceptic SNS party that forms part of the governing coalition, has faced criticism from both its partners   Fico s leftist Smer and the centrist Most party   that delays in closing the fighter deal could prolong Slovakia s dependence on Russia.  If the finance ministry and government earmark money for all projects, we are ready to finalize the ongoing negotiations and close the deal  on new jets, Gajdos said. In 2015, Slovakia made a deal to buy nine U.S.-made Black Hawk helicopters to replace its Russian Mi-17 fleet, and signed with Italy s Alenia Aermacchi for two Spartan C-27J transport aircraft to replace Russian Antonovs the year before. The government already approved a plan to spend 1.2 billion euros ($1.44 billion) to replace its outdated armored personnel carriers in May. Slovakia has a maintenance contract with Russia for its 12 MiG-29s until autumn 2019. If it does not order new jets soon it would need to prolong that, as they would typically take 18-24 months to deliver.  Prolongation of the Mig-29s contract is the plan B, the plan A is the purchase of new jets. I won t accept any other than a pro-European and pro-Atlantic solution (for their replacement),  Gajdos said.  worldnews
slovakia delays decision replace russian fighter jetsbratislava reuters slovakia postpone planned fighter jet purchase pending broader upgrade armed forces defense minister said wednesday following warnings move could prolong dependence russia the central european nato member state talks several firms replacing aging peter dados mentioned fighter jets locked martin given jets made sweden aab options neighboring hungary czech republic already operate latter slovakia expected make decision end month dados said would delayed we need modernize ground forces backbone military while replacing parts air force ground forces renewed decades said slovakia due spend billion euros billion modernize army defense ministry said strategy document released last week debated first half its spending defense due rise percent gdp percent percent prime minister robert fico said last month slovakia pick european solutions army wanted part deeply integrated core european union dados nationalist eurosceptic sns party forms part governing coalition faced criticism partners fico leftist ser centrist most party delays closing fighter deal could prolong slovakia dependence russia if finance ministry government remark money projects ready finalize ongoing negotiations close deal new jets dados said in slovakia made deal buy nine black hawk helicopters replace russian fleet signed italy arena aermacchi two spartak transport aircraft replace russian antonovs year the government already approved plan spend billion euros billion replace outdated armored personnel carriers may slovakia maintenance contract russia autumn if order new jets soon would need prolong would typically take months deliver prolongation contract plan b plan a purchase new jets i accept solution replacement dados said worldnews
Your task is to classify the provided input as real or fake news. Label 0 is meant for fake news, Label 1 is for real news. TEXT: Slovakia delays decision to replace Russian fighter jetsBRATISLAVA (Reuters) - Slovakia will postpone a planned fighter jet purchase pending a broader upgrade of its armed forces, the defense minister said on Wednesday, following warnings that such a move could prolong its dependence on Russia. The central European NATO member state has been in talks with several firms about replacing its aging Russian-made MiG-29s. Peter Gajdos mentioned U.S. F-16 fighter jets from Lockheed Martin and Gripen jets made by Sweden s Saab as options. Neighboring Hungary and the Czech Republic already operate the latter. Slovakia was expected to make decision by the end of this month, but Gajdos said this would be delayed.  We need to modernize the ground forces which are the backbone of our military. While we have been replacing some parts of the air force, the ground forces have not been renewed for decades,  he said.      Slovakia is due to spend about 6.5 billion euros ($7.80 billion) by 2030 to modernize its army, the defense ministry said in a strategy document, released last week and to be debated in the first half of 2018. Its spending on defense is due to rise from 1.1 percent of GDP to 1.6 percent in 2020 and 2.0 percent by 2024. Prime Minister Robert Fico said last month Slovakia should pick  European solutions  for the army if it wanted to be part of a more deeply integrated core European Union. Gajdos, from the nationalist, eurosceptic SNS party that forms part of the governing coalition, has faced criticism from both its partners   Fico s leftist Smer and the centrist Most party   that delays in closing the fighter deal could prolong Slovakia s dependence on Russia.  If the finance ministry and government earmark money for all projects, we are ready to finalize the ongoing negotiations and close the deal  on new jets, Gajdos said. In 2015, Slovakia made a deal to buy nine U.S.-made Black Hawk helicopters to replace its Russian Mi-17 fleet, and signed with Italy s Alenia Aermacchi for two Spartan C-27J transport aircraft to replace Russian Antonovs the year before. The government already approved a plan to spend 1.2 billion euros ($1.44 billion) to replace its outdated armored personnel carriers in May. Slovakia has a maintenance contract with Russia for its 12 MiG-29s until autumn 2019. If it does not order new jets soon it would need to prolong that, as they would typically take 18-24 months to deliver.  Prolongation of the Mig-29s contract is the plan B, the plan A is the purchase of new jets. I won t accept any other than a pro-European and pro-Atlantic solution (for their replacement),  Gajdos said.  worldnews
Your task is to classify the provided input as real or fake news. Label 0 is meant for fake news, Label 1 is for real news. TEXT: slovakia delays decision replace russian fighter jetsbratislava reuters slovakia postpone planned fighter jet purchase pending broader upgrade armed forces defense minister said wednesday following warnings move could prolong dependence russia the central european nato member state talks several firms replacing aging peter dados mentioned fighter jets locked martin given jets made sweden aab options neighboring hungary czech republic already operate latter slovakia expected make decision end month dados said would delayed we need modernize ground forces backbone military while replacing parts air force ground forces renewed decades said slovakia due spend billion euros billion modernize army defense ministry said strategy document released last week debated first half its spending defense due rise percent gdp percent percent prime minister robert fico said last month slovakia pick european solutions army wanted part deeply integrated core european union dados nationalist eurosceptic sns party forms part governing coalition faced criticism partners fico leftist ser centrist most party delays closing fighter deal could prolong slovakia dependence russia if finance ministry government remark money projects ready finalize ongoing negotiations close deal new jets dados said in slovakia made deal buy nine black hawk helicopters replace russian fleet signed italy arena aermacchi two spartak transport aircraft replace russian antonovs year the government already approved plan spend billion euros billion replace outdated armored personnel carriers may slovakia maintenance contract russia autumn if order new jets soon would need prolong would typically take months deliver prolongation contract plan b plan a purchase new jets i accept solution replacement dados said worldnews