DEPUTIES from the opposition party Smer lashed out at the cabinet of PM Mikuláš Dzurinda for announcing a second round for the controversial privatization of Slovakia's two major airports, in Bratislava and Kosice.
Transportation Minister Pavol Prokopovič defended the cabinet's decision not to confirm the unofficial victor of the first tender, the TwoOne consortium, saying that a second tender will mean an increase of Sk7 billion (€185 million) from the deal to state coffers.
Smer boss Robert Fico restated that if his party makes it to power, the whole airport privatization deal would be stopped, the daily SME reported.
Meanwhile, the unofficial winner of the first round, TwoOne, a consortium consisting of the Slovak capital group Penta, Vienna Airport, and Austria's Raiffeisen Zentralbank, is considering suing Prokopovič for unexpectedly announcing a second round.
Last week, Prokopovič called on TwoOne and the Abertis consortium of Spanish Abertis Infraestructuras, the British TBI, and another Slovak capital group, J&T, to submit new bids for the airport. The one that offers more money will land the deal for the airports.
Compiled by Beata Balogová from press reports
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