"US, German Bidders Most Likely to Vie for Bulgarian Airports"

Friday, December 3, 2004

US, German Bidders Most Likely to Vie for Airports
Bulgaria - Pari Daily


CONSORTIUMS including Germany's Hochtief Airport GmbH and Fraport AG
Frankfurt Airport Services, as well as the tie-in between US Corporation
American Sociedad Anonima and American International Airports LLC will most
probably remain in the procedure for the concession on Bulgaria's coastal
airports in Varna and Bourgas, the PARI daily learned. By Friday, December
3, the transport ministry has to shortlist the candidates for participation
in the final stage of the tender. Tentative bids were accepted until
November 12, 2004.

Two Bulgarian companies are participating with the German bidders: Albena AD
has joined Hochtief and BM Star EOOD, Frankfurt. Sources say the fourth
candidate, Kuwaiti's Mohammed Abdulmohsin Al-Kharafi and Sons, may also take
part in the competition. Offers were also submitted by France's Nice Cote
d`Azur Airport, in partnership with Poland's Gdansk Lech Walesa Airport;
Vinci Airports and Vinci Concessions; DUDKO Group and Copenhagen Airports
A/S.

Knowledgeable sources comment that the US consortium will be most probably
the favourite for the two airports. According to them, the selection of a
strategic investor for the airports was predestined by the choice of a
project consultant. Specialists, however, say that if the European companies
fail to win the tender, that may prompt an outflow of German and Russian
tourists from Bulgaria.


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