Eastern Europe reaps spoils of war in Middle East
Makers of bullets, assault rifles and guided missiles in Bulgaria and the Czech Republic, among others, experienced a surge in demand after the Arab Spring
Sofia — Eastern European arms exporters are capitalising on years of turmoil in the Middle East. Makers of bullets, assault rifles and guided missiles in countries including Bulgaria and the Czech Republic experienced a surge in demand as conflicts swept across the region in the wake of the Arab Spring. As well as selling weapons to nations actively involved in fighting, such as Iraq and Saudi Arabia, they’ve also struck deals with the US and other third parties. "The uptick in arms sales to the Middle East does appear to have coincided with a general ramp-up in armed conflict in the region," Lucas Dos Santos, head of Europe country risk at BMI Research, said by e-mail. "While the worst may be behind us, low-level conflict will simmer on for some time. As such, demand should remain fairly well supported." Former communist Europe remains embedded in military supply chains that date back to the Soviet Union, whose clients often included governments in the Middle East. That’s helped th...
Would you like to comment on this article?
Sign up (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.
Subscribe now to unlock this article.
Support BusinessLIVE’s award-winning journalism for R129 per month (digital access only).
There’s never been a more important time to support independent journalism in SA. Our subscription packages now offer an ad-free experience for readers.
Cancel anytime.
Questions? Email helpdesk@businesslive.co.za or call 0860 52 52 00. Got a subscription voucher? Redeem it now.