September 16 (SeeNews) - Serbia's prime minister Aleksandar Vucic has said that two French companies are interested in the country's state-controlled airport operator Aerodrom Nikola Tesla, according to Serbian media reports.
Vucic, who is on an official visit to France, noted that French companies already operating in Serbia are looking to expand their capacities, while new companies are planning to enter the country's market, news agency Beta reported on Thursday.
French companies currently employ some 11,000 workers in the Balkan country, Vucic said, adding that a business delegation is expected to arrive to Serbia in November when arrangements are set to be concretised.
Aerodrom Nikola Tesla needs investments of about 1 billion euro ($1.1 million), which it can obtain either through privatisation or concession, Vucic told reporters earlier this year. The government hired French consultancy Lazard Freres SAS to advise it on the transaction in April.
In August, Vucic announced that Serbia's new government is close to a decision on a concession model for the management of Aerodrom Nikola Tesla. The plan is to offer the airport under a 25-year concession contract through a tender procedure, he noted at the time.
Aerodrom Nikola Tesla, in which the government owns a stake of 83.1%, had a net profit of 11 million euro in the first half of 2016 on a revenue of 33 million euro, CEO Sasa Vlaisavljevic told Serbian news agency Tanjug in July.
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