Controversial Bucharest duty-free tender gets underway

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The first phase of the tender to select operators for duty-free shops at Bucharest Otopeni international airport was launched today. The bids are being organised by the Romanian Ministry of Public Works Transport and Housing. The contracts themselves are also subject to four separate court cases being debated by the justice courts after the protest of incumbent operator EDF Asro and the forced closure of its operation and joint venture, in which the government held a 27% share through state-owned airline Tarom and airport authority AIBO (TRW 08/04/02).

The Ministry reported to the Bulgarian News Digest that ten companies have requested documents for operating duty-free in Bucharest. The qualified companies in the first phase will participate in a second tender aimed at deciding which outlets will be allocated to the successful bidders.

EDF Asro director Marco Katz told TRW in a statement: "The Romanian justice courts are under tremendous political pressure meant to influence the final decision. In the meantime our company's headquarters remain under siege and are still disconnected from electricity, phone lines and computerised communications. The many open messages and letters sent to prime minister Mr Nastase asking for his intervention to stop the abuses remain unanswered up to this moment."

EDF Asro claims its contract was terminated despite previous agreements to extend its Bucharest airport contract until 2007.