Arguments over Bratislava Airport

M.R. Štefáník Airport in Bratislava will not be privatised or sold, said Transport Minister Arpad Ersek (Most-Hid) on Wednesday, after the Cabinet approved a draft public-private partnership project for the Airport. Its goal is to select a license holder for the operation, maintenance and development of M.R. Štefáník Airport. It implies that a license contract with a strategic partner should be concluded for 30 years. The opposition MP for the Ordinary People Party Ján Marosz believes that this is a hidden privatisation which the former Prime Minister and head of the largest SMER-SD party fought and stopped in 2006. As part of the rental of the airport, the Transport ministry expects a one-off fee of €5 million from the future concessionaire and subsequently a yearly income of over €1.3 million throughout the entire duration of the concession.