November 27 (SeeNews) - Bulgaria's competition authority said it granted approval to SOF Connect AD, a special purpose vehicle owned by a consortium led by France-based investment firm Meridiam, to acquire exclusive rights to operate Sofia Airport under a 35-year concession contract.
The deal will not lead to the establishment or the strengthening of a dominant position on the respective markets, the Commission for Protection of Competition (CPC) said in its decision published on Thursday.
Interested parties can appeal the decision before Sofia Administrative Court within 14 days of its publication.
Last month, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) said it is considering a project finance loan of up to 85 million euro ($101.4 million) to SOF Connect AD in order to support the concession of Sofia Airport. The project finance loan will be a part of a wider debt package worth 250 million euro, provided jointly with other international financial institutions and commercial banks, the EBRD said, adding that it will decide whether to approve the loan on December 2.
($ = 0.838595 euro)