Romania Extends Bid Submission Deadline for Aircraft Maker Avioane Craiova to Jan 30

The request for the extention came from Italy’s Alenia Aeronautica, the country's privatisation agency AVAS said in a statement.

Last month, AVAS extended by 15 days to December 10 the deadline for filing bids for Avioane Craiova to give more time to investors to prepare their offers.

Two companies have acquired tender documents so far - Alenia Aeronautica and the local branch of the U.S. EPS Inc. Tinton Falls, AVAS said. Bids will be opened on January 30 at 1000 GMT.

In October AVAS re-launched the sale of its stake in Avioane Craiova after a month earlier it rejected the offer from Czech company AERO Vodochody, arguing that the company had come up with demands "outside the existing legal framework".

The Czech company denied the claims. AERO Vodochody's offer was worth a total of 16.3 million euro ($21 million), including a five-year investment plan worth almost 8.9 million euro. This was the government's third attempt to sell Avioane Craiova.

Avioane Craiova's shares last tradeed 24.03% up at 4.8 lei ($1.6/1.2 euro) on the Romanian over-the-counter market RASDAQ by 0918 GMT on Tuesday.

($ = 0.7768 euro)