The owners are no longer holding back from selling Budapest Airport, they just want a higher price - Magyar Nemzet learned.
In Monday's edition , it was written that negotiations had begun on the Hungarian government's offer. Last week, they received the cabinet's non-binding purchase offer for Budapest Airport Zrt. Magyar Nemzet has learned from industry sources that it was not rejected as before, but was deemed below market value.
This is a significant change, as the international owners of the Budapest airport ruled out selling their shares until recently, the paper noted. Minister of Innovation and Technology László Palkovics said that he did not want to comment on an ongoing case when asked by Magyar Nemzet.
One of the owners, AviAlliance, a German-based airport operator, reacted similarly to Bloomberg's inquiry.
The Hungarian state would once again acquire majority ownership in the company that operates Ferenc Liszt Airport.
In his statements, László Palkovics made it clear: it is not really important for the current main owner, the Canadian pension fund, to contribute to Hungarian economic development, the stimulation of tourism, and the achievement of transport policy goals with a modern, cultured airport, the newspaper wrote.
Magyar Nemzet stated that in 2005, the left-wing government "sold the Budapest Airport on the spur of the moment to budgetary considerations". The concession contract concluded for 75 years provided extremely strong protection to foreign investors. Almost all of the income from airport services belongs to the new owners, the paper reads.
MTI
Front page photo: Budapest Ferenc Liszt Airport /Photo: MTI-H Sándor Szabó
