site.btaMinister, Businessman at Odds over Bulgarian Shareholding in Sofia Airport Concession Consortium

Sofia, November 5 (BTA) - In a Facebook post on Friday, businessman Kiril Domouschiev denies being part of the consortium that holds the concession on Sofia Airport, SOF Connect. The company, too, refuted the claim of Bulgarian shareholding later in the day.

These reactions were triggered by an interview of caretaker Transport, Information Technology and Communications Minister Hristo Aleksiev for the Mediapool e-zine published Thursday. In Aleksiev's words, several reliable sources have confirmed that firms owned by Domoushciev participate with a 20 per cent share in the SOF Connect consortium.

In his Facebook post, Domouschiev firmly denies this claim and calls Aleksiev's statement "insinuations and suggestions that are a 100 per cent lie and part of the instruments used in the current election campaign, from which certain individuals and a media circle are trying to draw political dividends and benefits". According to the businessman, this lie is aimed to discredit him and has been fabricated by those who are currently trying to "direct the political life from behind the scenes and to position the players in it, including through attempts at manipulating the public opinion via fake news and under the pretence of protecting the State's and the citizens' interest".

Domouschiev also writes that he will take legal action to protect his rights and legal interests. He calls on Aleksiev to reveal his so-called reliable sources and to prove his claims accordingly.

Filip Gounev, independent member of SOF Connect's Supervisory Board, Friday told Mediapool that a check of his has found no direct or indirect participation of Bulgarians and their firms in the concession on Sofia Airport.

Gounev also commented on Minister Aleksiev's claim that for now the operator of Munich Airport, which along with SOF Connect is in charge of Sofia Airport's operation, participates only on paper, and that Aleksiev has not seen Munich Airport representatives involved in the activity of Sofia Airport. In Gounev's words, the entire management team of Sofia Airport, with the exception of CEO Jesus Caballero, come from Munich Airport. Photos published on the Transport Ministry's website show Aleksiev inspecting Sofia Airport's Terminal 1 in the company of SOF Connect Governing Board member Henning Pfisterer, who too comes from Munich Airport's team.

SOF Connect consists of French investor Meridiam (99 per cent) and Austria's Strabag developer (1 per cent). The consortium signed a 35-year concession agreement on Sofia Aiport in the summer of 2020.

/DS/