Turkey’s Limak Holding has shown interest in Bulgaria airport concession, which is expected to be tendered in the next months.

“There is a privatization process for Sofia Airport. We are looking into it. They will collect bids in the autumn,” Ebru Özdemir, Limak Investment Chairwoman said.

As we reported in June, the Minister of Transport, Information Technology and Communication of Bulgaria published the tender notice for the concession the Airport but the process was canceled later. 

The government expects to achieve BGN1.2 billion (US$690 million) in fees over 35 years.

The object of the Sofia Airport concession with an area of 5,219,778 square meters includes:

• Land plots and buildings (public state property)
• Facilities and adjoining infrastructure
• Property and possessions public state property, representing buildings, facilities, and systems for the visual air navigation equipment (airfield lighting), located in the territory of Sofia airport
• The buildings, facilities and equipment that the concessionaire will construct and/or install by its own risk and with its own funds under the conditions and procedure set by the concession contract

Sofia Airport is Bulgaria's main airport. It is located 10 km east from the center of Sofia. In 2014, the airport handled 3,815,158 passengers, an 8.9% increase compared to 3,504,326 handled in 2013. Bulgaria also uses Sofia Airport for the Vrazhdebna Air Force Base.

Limak's investment arm has been shifting its focus from traditional European markets in favour of Eastern Europe and Africa.

Limak manages the Prishtina International Adem Jashari Airport (PIA) in the capital of Kosovo. Public Private Partnership Agreement was signed with the Government of the Republic of Kosovo on August 2010.