Sofia airport’s unsuccessful bidders appeal concession award

Bidders that lost the contract to run Bulgaria’s Sofia International Airport have appealed the decision to award the deal to SOF Connect. At the end of July, the Bulgarian government awarded the 35-year concession to run and develop Sofia airport, including adding a third terminal, to SOF Connect, the consortium led by Munich Airport International (MAI), a subsidiary of Munich Airport Flughafen München GmbH (FMG) and supported by French asset management company Meridiam. The consortium offered a concession fee of E24.5m per year and pledged to make investments of E608m in airport development. Bulgaria’s competition watchdog, the Commission for Protection of Competition (CPC), said Aug. 1 it has received four complaints, and preliminary checks are taking place to see if they meet the necessary criteria to begin an investigation. If an investigation is opened, once it is completed, the case will be submitted for a hearing and the watchdog will make a decision within two months of the start of proceedings. <br/>