site.btaPlovdiv Airport Becomes Wholly State-Owned

After intense negotiations, the Bulgarian state, acting through Sofia Airport EAD, acquired the whole stake of BK Project EOOD in Letishte Plovdiv EAD, which operates the international airport in Bulgaria's second-largest city of Plovdiv, the Ministry of Transport and Communications told BTA on Thursday, replying to an enquiry from the national news agency.

The ministry said the deal was finalized in the middle of August. As a result, the Bulgarian state, represented by Letishte Plovdiv EAD and Sofia Airport EAD, now owns the apron, the fuel and lubricant section, and buildings at Plovdiv Airport. "The price of the deal was the best that could be achieved," the ministry said.

The purchase did not involve an acquisition of Sofia Airport by Letishte Plovdiv, according to the Transport and Communications Ministry. Sofia Airport used its own resources to acquire the shares.

The letter to BTA further says: "Thanks to the professional actions of the ministry's team and Sofia Airport EAD, a longstanding problem hindering the development of Plovdiv Airport was resolved. This is the second-largest airport in Bulgaria, and its development and the investments in its infrastructure will contribute substantially to upgrading existing business operations in the region and establishing new ones. The outstanding problem about the ownership of important airport assets was a hurdle to investing in the airport."

The ministry added that actions will be taken to find the best solution for the development of Plovdiv Airport. One of the main possibilities is to award a concession contract for the airport's operation.