SOLUTION FOR THE BILLION BURDEN SHOULDERED ON CITIZENS MUST BE FOUND WITHIN TWO MONTHS – PREMIER

Prime Minister Maia Sandu hopes that within 1-2 months a solution will be found which will allow resolving the problem on returning the stolen billion to the budget. So far, this task was shouldered on citizens as per the decision of previous authorities.

She said at local television on Wednesday evening that she raised this question during her visit to Washington, including in dialog with the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

“We came with concrete proposals. Any measure we intend to take in this direction must be discussed with international partners, in this case the IMF. I hope that within several months we will have a solution agreed with the Fund”, the premier said.

Speaking about the Chisinau Airport concession she said that the 9-euro fee, which considerably raises the cost of air tickets, may be repealed only when the concession agreement is cancelled.

The premier also confirmed that she discussed this issue with Nathaniel Rothschild next day after it was announced that the Avia Invest (airport concessionaire) transition into administration of his company.

“I informed him that the concession agreement was concluded with numerous violations and said that we will address to court when we get enough data. I stressed that it is necessary to wait until the airport comes back to the state. If we decide to give airport into concession on already legal basis, only then he can start thinking about the deal”, she said.

Infotag’s dossier: The Chisinau airport was given into 49-year concession in 2013 on the basis of the results of the contest, won by two Russian companies: the Khabarovsk Airport and the Kolomensk Plant, which founded the Avia Invest company for administrating the airport. Over several years, the Avia Invest changed its owner three times. Among these there was an offshore company, which is connected with entrepreneur and politician Ilan Shor, mentioned in the Kroll agency report on one-billion-dollar bank fraud. In late August, the NR Investments Ltd, which belongs to Nathaniel Rothschild, announced about the buying of Cyprus offshore company “Komaksavia Airport Invest Ltd” which holds 95% of Avia Invest shares. Nevertheless, Moldovan President and Premier have several times stated that they will be seeking termination of the concession contract, while on September 10 the Public Property Agency (PPA) addressed to court for canceling the contract.