Regional airport concession deal 'to be sealed soon'

By Vangelis Mandravelis

Finance Minister Yanis Varoufakis expressed his optimism on Thursday in Parliament about the completion of the privatization of the 14 regional airports for which German firm Fraport is the preferred bidder, saying that the process will soon be completed.

Varoufakis, however, went on to say that the progress of the deal between Fraport and state sell-off fund TAIPED depends on the course of negotiations between the government and its creditors.

?The government will continue that procedure. It already is in talks with its creditors on this issue and I can assure you that as the talks are drawing to a close in the coming days, so will this issue,? the minister said.

Varoufakis also referred to the government?s demand for a change to the terms of the concession agreement with Fraport, insisting on the participation of the state in the utilization of the 14 airports.