Avia Invest, reaction to President Maia Sandu's statements after the return of the airport to state ownership
Avia Invest has come up with a reaction to the statements made yesterday by President Maia Sandu and the management of the State Enterprise "Chisinau International Airport", explaining the company's position regarding the concession and the modernization fee of 9 euros.
Representatives of Avia Invest claim that in 2013, when the airport was concessioned, the infrastructure was in a critical state and the technical condition of the runway was below the safety threshold. The company claims to have invested more than 72 million lei over the past nine years.
"Investments in infrastructure amounted to more than 72 million euros through investments and revenues from operational activity. According to the terms of the concession contract all these investments immediately became the property of the state with an increase in the value of state assets managed by Avia Invest: all infrastructure, construction to a second runway, reconstruction of the base runway for take-off and landing, modern multi-storey car park, expansion and complete modernization of the passenger terminal area, provision of special equipment, engineering and utility networks, special machinery," Avia Invest's reaction reads.
President Maia Sandu claimed that Avia Invest had damaged the state by 1.6 billion lei, which the company denied. As for the nine-euro airport tax, Avia Invest claims that this tax was introduced in Moldova in 1999, in accordance with international practices, and that initially it was 10 dollars, later - 14 dollars, and since 2007 - 9 euros. According to the concession company, half of this money would have gone to the state.
"I call on state institutions to ensure that the taken-over asset is inspected and the detected irregularities are documented. I request that the nine euro fee per passenger be reviewed in order to reduce the fee as much as possible. I call on the APP, the airport administration to ensure optimal operation from now on, so that citizens can benefit from more routes to more destinations at affordable prices. And the justice institutions must ensure that all those involved in this theft are punished, according to the law", said President Maia Sandu at a briefing on 3 April at Chisinau International Airport.
Chisinau International Airport reverted to state ownership on 28 March 2023, based on a Court of Appeal decision last November. Representatives of Chisinau International Airport described the Court of Appeal's decision as illegal and unfounded. According to Avia Invest, the termination of the contract implies a mandatory return of the investments made, which currently amount to more than €90 million.
In 2013, "Avia Invest" took over the operations and management of Chisinau International Airport under a public-private partnership, and will manage the airport for 49 years and invest €250 million in its modernisation. Subsequently, the company was accused of failing to meet its contractual obligations and was asked to terminate the concession contract.
