A politician who was involved in Hungary's decision to lease 14 Gripen fighters from Sweden denied today that the deal was corrupt after a Swedish television network raised the spectre of bribery. According to the SVT network, Gripen International, a joint venture of Sweden's SAAB and Britain's BAE Systems, allegedly gave Austrian businessman Alfons Mensdorff-Poully an 8-million-dollar slush fund to influence Hungary's decision. However, Ervin Demeter - who was a member of the national security cabinet in Hungary that in 2001 decided to order the Gripens - said that he was not aware of any bribery or lobbying and did not know Mensdorff-Poully. The alleged slush fund was also allegedly for use in promoting the introduction of Gripen fighters to the Czech air force, which now has 14 Gripens on lease. -- SPA
