Belgrade Airport takeover "within weeks"
The concession and construction company VINCI will officially take over Belgrade Nikola Tesla Airport "within weeks", according to the French Ambassador to Serbia Frederic Mondoloni. The statement comes just two weeks after the concessionaire secured a 100 million euro loan from the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, enabling it to close the financial construct of the 1.2 billion euro deal with the Serbian government signed eight months ago. The Ambassador said, "Everything is going according plan and we are moving forward, in line with the contract signed in March. The official takeover will take place in the coming weeks as stipulated by the contract". It is believed VINCI will officially begin its 25-year management of the airport upon the arrival of the French President, Emanuel Macron, to Belgrade on December 6.
VINCI said it will deliver the efficient upgrading of the airport within the first four years of the concession, which will include terminal refurbishment and expansion, the overhaul of the existing runway, construction of a temporary runway and the expansion of the taxiway system. It will utilise 980 million euros within the first four years of its concession contract. Of those, some 450 million euros will be paid to the Serbian government, while the remainder will be used for infrastructure development. VINCI noted that one of the major historical issues associated with the project is noise, due to the airport's proximity to residential areas. As one of the priority measures, it will be required to start immediate implementation of the Balanced Approach to aircraft noise management consistent with EU/ICAO requirements aimed at the reduction of noise impacts. Furthermore, it noted that the expansion project will be associated with limited land acquisition that will commence in five years.
Commenting on the planned investments, Ambassador Mondoloni said, "This is a great project where everybody wins. Serbia gets to keep the airport, whereas the French company gets to be the concessionaire for 25 years. A very nice project with over a billion euros worth of investments". Managers from VINCI are said to have already settled in at the airport and are currently further studying the business. General Manager Saša Vlaisavljević has confirmed he will resign from his post following the airport's takeover. VINCI is yet to name its management team for Belgrade Airport, however, its Serbian subsidiary - VINCI Airports Serbia - is being headed by Massimo Bruzzo, who previously served as the French company's Regional Head for Structured Finance, as well as the Project Director for Business Development.
0 Response to "Belgrade Airport takeover "within weeks""
Post a Comment