Best bid for Nikola Tesla Airport to be known by late August – Capacity soon to grow to 7.5 million passengers

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Construction, Transport and Infrastructure Zorana Mihajlovic stated on March 15 that 25 companies were preparing to send non-binding bids for the concession of the Belgrade Nikola Tesla Airport and that the most favorable bid should be determined before the end of August.

– It is our estimate that the process will be completed by the end of August, when we will be able to say which bid is the most favorable, helping the airport become the Southeast European center by 2030 – Mihajlovic said and added that a very serious process of raising the airport's value was being carried out, which couldn't be done in a a few days.

Mihajlovic pointed out that the Belgrade Airport was not being privatized, nor was its property being sold. She added that the concession was meant to increase the airport's capacities and do everything needed to turn it into a true world-class airport.

The public invitation envisions a 25-year concession, whereas the future concessionaire obliges to finance, develop through construction and reconstruction, maintain and manage the entire Nikola Tesla Airport infrastructure and perform the formal role of the airport's operator.

Companies or consortiums interested in the concession will also have to meet the requirement of owning more then EUR 500 million in assets.

Big companies recognize potential of Belgrade Airport

Sasa Vlaisavljevic, Director General of the Nikola Tesla Airport, stated on March 15 that 27 big world companies were in the race for the concession and that as many as 40 had shown interest.

– In the past three years, I've worked with my team on raising the airport's value. I believe that the Government of Serbia is pleased, though things can always be better – Vlaisavljevic said.

As he added, they saw the great potential of the Belgrade Airport through Air Serbia. The airport has around five million passengers, putting it on the level with Thessaloniki and Sofia.

– Foreign companies believe that we could be the center of this part of Europe, the regional leader. The profit made by our airport exceeds all regional airports combined – Vlaisavljevic said.

Talking about enhancing the airport's operations, Vlaisavljevic said that the technological capacity would be raised from 7 to 7.5 million passengers and that the airport would be handed over to the concessionaire in great condition.

Vlada Republike Srbije

Ministarstvo građevinarstva, saobraćaja i infrastrukture Republike Srbije

Air Serbia ad Beograd

Zorana Mihajlovic

Nikola Tesla Airport

Belgrade Airport

airport privatization

concession of Nikola Tesla Airport

Sasa Vlaisavljevic