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Aug 10, 2011 (newstodate): The important issue of the future ownership structure of Lithuania's three international airports is still far from finding a solution.
The process was launched in 2009, and in 2010 the Ministry of Transport and Communication worked out a proposal forwarded to the Prime Minister.
The proposal was debated in the Lithuanian parliament during the autumn session, but the parliament, however, did not pass the proposal, claiming that it needed a higher level of flexibility for the airports in deciding on their future. The proposal was therefore returned to the Ministry.
And there it still rests.
-It is still a hope that the process may be finalized by 2013, but all parties agree that the data documenting the issue are now obsolete and need a thorough update, which is now being undertaken, says Rimvydas Vastakas, Vice-Minister of Transport and communication.
-These data are necessary to point out which direction to take. But is still remains our ambition that the final solution will allow private investors into the ownership of the airports, to support the continued development of the infrastructure and provide financial basis for new projects.
The airports at Vilnius, Kaunas and Palanga are currently owned directly by the state, and the vision remains to change their status into either one joint, or three individual public limited companies owned by the state, in either case opening up for the possibility of attracting private investors and outsourcing of their management to experienced companies through tender processes.
The process was launched in 2009, and in 2010 the Ministry of Transport and Communication worked out a proposal forwarded to the Prime Minister.
The proposal was debated in the Lithuanian parliament during the autumn session, but the parliament, however, did not pass the proposal, claiming that it needed a higher level of flexibility for the airports in deciding on their future. The proposal was therefore returned to the Ministry.
And there it still rests.
-It is still a hope that the process may be finalized by 2013, but all parties agree that the data documenting the issue are now obsolete and need a thorough update, which is now being undertaken, says Rimvydas Vastakas, Vice-Minister of Transport and communication.
-These data are necessary to point out which direction to take. But is still remains our ambition that the final solution will allow private investors into the ownership of the airports, to support the continued development of the infrastructure and provide financial basis for new projects.
The airports at Vilnius, Kaunas and Palanga are currently owned directly by the state, and the vision remains to change their status into either one joint, or three individual public limited companies owned by the state, in either case opening up for the possibility of attracting private investors and outsourcing of their management to experienced companies through tender processes.