NATHANIEL ROTHSCHILD RENOUNCES CHISINAU AIRPORT CONCESSION

The company NR Investments Limited that belongs to businessman Nathaniel Rothschild renounces the participation in the Komaksavia Airport Invest Ltd, thus it has no interest in the Avia Invest [Chisinau Airport concessioner company] anymore, says the press release, published by the company on Sunday.

Commenting on this fact at the Monday’s briefing, President Igor Dodon stated that this may be connected with the authorities’ decision to open other airports in Moldova [in Balti, Marculesti and Ceadir-Lunga].

“Thus, the monopoly on air transportation in Moldova will be removed, and such situation may have alerted some people”, Dodon supposed.

According to him, the NR Investments Limited decision was not agreed with Moldovan authorities.

“Our goal remains the same – to return the airport under the authority of the state. We will insist on canceling the agreement on concession. In this direction we have real changes. Possibly, the concessioner company will address to authorities by itself and will discuss the conditions for renouncing these rights” Dodon said.

He stressed that currently, all the airport assets are blocked.

“The transmission of certain rights from one to another will give no effect. We will find out why such decision was taken [by Rothschild], but I repeat that maybe it was connected with the firm stance of the authorities on de-monopolizing the branch”, the president said.

Infotag’s dossier: The Chisinau airport was given into concession for 49 years in 2014 according to the results of a contest, which was won by two Russian companies – Khabarovsk Airport and Kolomensk Plant, which created the Avia Invest Company for administrating airport. Over several years, the Avia Invest has changed its owners three times. In August 2019, the offshore company, which is holding 95% of Avia Invest, was bought by NR Investments Ltd. Later, it issued a press release which confirms the conclusion of the transaction. However, Moldovan president and prime minister have several times stated that they will seek canceling of the airport concession contract. In early September, the Maia Sandu’s Government cancelled the 2012-2013 decisions on giving the Chisinau airport into concession. Sandu also stated that the Public Property Agency sued Avia Invest, demanding to cancel the concession contract. Later, the authorities reported that responsible structures managed to block the airport assets.