A judge has ordered the Armed Forces of Malta to temporary suspend the tendering process for purchasing a maritime reconnaissance and rescue helicopter.
Mr Justice Joseph Zammit Mckeon issued a temporary warrant of prohibitory injunction after French company Eurocopter protested it had been unfairly excluded from the bidding process.
The AFM is seeking to buy one helicopter, with an option for another two, to replace its ageing Alouettes that were donated by Libya in the mid-1980s. Money from the European Borders Control Fund has been secured for the project.
The deal, worth about €58 million, was practically awarded to its sole competitor, Augusta Westland SpA, the French company said.
Furthermore, questions sent to the AFM about the helicopters needing to have the ability to land on the deck of its patrol craft P-61 went unanswered, it added.
Eurocopter had originally sought reconsideration through the Public Contracts Review Board but, dissatisfied with the outcome, took the matter to court demanding the tendering process be stopped.