site.btaCabinet Decides to Award Concession for Sofia Airport

Cabinet Decides to Award Concession for Sofia Airport

Sofia, May 17 (BTA) - The Council of Ministers decided to award a concession for Sofia Airport, Transport, IT and Communications Minister Ivaylo Moskovski told journalists on Tuesday.

He did not offer details, explaining that all the information would be available within ten days in The Official Journal of the European Union.

The net effect of the concession is projected at 1,200 million leva. The concessionaire is expected to pay an initial lump-sum royalty of 600 million leva, according to Moskovski's previous statements and the National Budget Act.

The concession will be awarded for 35 years. Candidates can place bids by the end of September. Almost all European, as well as other airport operators, can bid.

Moskovski added that the government wants to invest the royalty in the recovery of the Bulgarian State Railways (BDZ), but the European Commission should decide first that this does not constitute unlawful state aid. That is why the notification process and submissions by candidates will be taking place at the same time.