Croatia signs purchase of French jets during Macron visit

ZAGREB, Croatia (AP) — Croatia has signed a deal to buy 12 Rafale fighter jets from France worth nearly 1 billion euros ($1.2 billion). Officials say the jets will considerably strengthen Croatia’s air force amid lingering tensions in the Balkans. The contract for the used combat aircraft was signed during the visit of French President Emmanuel Macron to Croatia on Thursday. It was the first visit by France’s head of state to Croatia since it split from the former Yugoslav federation in the 1991-95 war. The selection of the French aircraft, announced in May, followed a long bidding process that was plagued by delays.