Same Submarine, Different Headaches

A Type 214 class submarine

I have not much information about the reactions of Koreans on the Type 214 submarines. But it is clear that these submarines are creating headaches among the politicians, bureaucrats and soldiers on the both sides of the Aegean Sea.

On the other side of the Aegean, The Financial and Economic Crime Unit (S.D.O.E) of the Greek Ministry of Finance has found evidence that some 100 million euros was paid under the table to Greek politicians and officials in the purchase of four German submarines according to a new report on the Greek daily Ekathimerini. It is believed that the bribes were paid before the contract was signed.

Ten years after the signing of the contract only one of the four submarines is commissioned in the Greek Navy.

It is needless to ay that this allegation will have political effects in the parliament.

On this side of the Aegean the contract for the procurement of 6 Type 214 submarines was criticized by the Finance Ministry because of high interest rates on payments and unpredictable amounts to be paid due to inflation and other associated costs. According to Turkish daily Bugün, the Finance Ministry was persuaded to lift its initial blocking due to high interest rates.

In the meantime, Ferrostaal, a company of the German Submarine Consortium, that is to produce the submarines for Turkey, is alleged to have bribed Argentinean, Portuguese, Colombian and Greek authorities for the sale of U209 and U214 submarines, according to German magazine Manager.

A contract between Turkey and TKMS was signed on 2 July 2009 for 2,5 billion euros. The construction of the submarines did not started yet.

The Type 214 blues will continue, as it seems, on both sides of the Aegean.