site.btaGovernment Signs Concession Agreement for Sofia Airport with International Consortium

July 22 (BTA) - The Bulgarian government signed Wednesday a concession contract for Sofia Airport with the international consortium SOF Connect including Munich Airport and companies from France, Germany and Austria. The ceremony was attended by Prime Minister Boyko Borissov and he said there that the contract "proves that European partners are welcome here" and also that he is convinced "Bulgaria will be moving forward with such European partners".

He expressed hope that the concession will make Sofia Airport one of the best in the region.

On July 17, 2019, the Ministry of Transport, Information Technology and Communications selected SOF Connect (including France's Meridiam Eastern Europe Investments SAS and Germany's Strabag, with Munich Airport as airport operator) to operate Sofia Airport in the next 35 years. Four bidders were rejected:
a consortium between Airports de Paris and Turkey's TAV Havalimanlari Holding; Fraport Bulgaria; the Vitosha Consortium (UK's Manchester Airport Group and China BCEGI Construction); and SSB Sofia Airport JV with operator Copenhagen Airport.

In November 2019, the decision was upheld by the Commission for the Protection of Competition but three of the rejected bidders challenged the concession award procedure. In June 2020, the selection of SOF Connect was conclusively upheld by the Supreme Administrative Court.

The concessionnaire is due to invest no less than 608 million euro over the 35 years of the concession. They will have to go for improving the level of service at the airport and the reliability, accessibility, security and safety, and environment.

Bulgarian Transport Minister Rosen Zhelyazkov said, as quoted by his Ministry, that the signing of the concession agreement proves that Bulgaria is capable of attracting prime investors. He said it is important for the government to have Sofia Airport as more than an asset to keep: it want it as Bulgaria's door to the world.

Within the 10th year of the 35-year concession, SOF Connect will have to build a new terminal at the airport, as well as a new cargo terminal. NV/LN/


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