Hungary PM Orban unexpectedly delays deal to buy Budapest Airport

Hungary's government will put off a planned acquisition of Budapest Airport until after next year's parliamentary elections due to high inflation and volatility in global financial markets, Prime Minister Viktor Orban said on Monday. Orban, who faces a tough race for re-election, has said for months he wants to see the airport in domestic hands. Since Orban took power in 2010, his government has boosted Hungarian ownership in strategic sectors such as energy, banking and the media. A consortium led by his government had submitted a revised non-binding offer to buy the airport last month. "We need to pay attention to the budget deficit," Orban told a news conference held jointly with visiting French President Emmanuel Macron and leaders of other Central European countries. "For the time being, I believe it is not reasonable to seal this (airport) deal before the elections." In mid-November the owners of Budapest Airport entered into a due diligence process with the government. Local media reported that Hungary had offered E4.44b for the airport, a figure that neither its biggest shareholder, AviAlliance GmbH, formerly Hochtief AirPort GmbH, nor the government confirmed.<br/>