Limak expresses interest for Podgorica, Tivat and Berane
The Turkish conglomerate Limak Holding is interested in taking over both of Montenegro’s airports according to the “Novosti” newspaper. The Montenegrin Government is in talks of selling its airports to the Turks, which already have a presence in the region as part owners of Priština Airport. The company is also interested in developing Berane Airport, located in the country’s East.However, the CEO of the government owned Montenegro Airports, which runs both Tivat and Podgorica, Milovan Djuričković, is less than thrilled with the idea, saying that there is no need to privatise the company. “There can only be three reasons for privatising a company. One is if the management is bad, which in this case it isn’t, the second is if the company is unable to finance further development, which isn’t the case and lastly if the government is strapped for cash”, Djuričković says. He goes on by explaining that airports form an integral part of a country’s infrastructure system and that it would be surprising if a country decided to sell it.
In 2010 Montenegro’s two airports had a record year, beating the 2008 record by 8%. The two airports handled a combined total of 1.193.478 passengers, an increase of 21% compared to 2009.
Can't quite understand something here. JAT Airways used to be the owner of these airports. Wasn't there a big push some 10 years ago for the purchase of these airports by the Montenegrin Government, under the pretense that the airports are of strategic importance to Montenegro and therefore must be government-owned? Eventually the airports were sold by the Djindjic government (for only $5 million, from what I recall). If these airports are of such strategic importance to Montenegro, then why in the world would their government be contemplating re-privatizing them again?
ReplyDeleteLooks like the Turks going to have another invasion over the Balkan again….but this time they going to ocupate the airports….. yeah but, unfortunately not for 550 years.
ReplyDeleteWell if you look at his speech, he does not deny that the government doesn't have money so maybe that is the problem?
ReplyDeleteWOW almost 2m two airports, that's great. I genuinely hope, that whoever takes the airports over or stay to run them will bring even more airlines(especially LCC such Ryanair, Easyjet, Wizzair, Germanwings, etc.) and more destinastions. I would like to see FR flying seasonaly to Tivat from Stansted(or Luton), Stockholm Skavsta, HNN, etc.
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