Ministry of Transport, Information Technology and Communications

The Syndicate Organizations KNSB and KT”Podkrepa” Met the Future Concessionaire of the Airports in Varna and Burgas

Representatives of the syndicate organizations KNSB and KT”Podkrepa” met today the future concessionaire of the Airports in Varna and Burgas. The meeting took place with the support of the Ministry of Transport. Two days ago Doctor Jeliazko Hristov asked the ministry for support, in order to arrange a meeting with representatives of “Fraport Twin Star Airport Management” Ltd (with shareholders Fraport AG Frankfurt Airport Services Worldwide – Germany, and “BM Star” Ltd – Bulgaria). The meeting attended the Minister of Transport Peter Mutafchiev, the Deputy Minister of Transport Yodjel Atilla, the Chairman of KNSB Doctor Jeliazko Hristov, Peter Georgiev – KNSB, Rosen Zarkov – KT”Podkrepa”, the future concessionaire was represented by the Chief Executive Director Andreas Helfer and the member of the supervision council Kostadin Janev.

During the meeting the syndicate organizations put the question about the guarantees assumed by Fraport in regard to:

• the equal status of the both airports;
• the protection of the state interest in the concession contract;
• the implementation of the investment program;
• the whole year operation of the airports;
• the accomplishment of the post-concession control by the state;
• preservation of all existing jobs;
• the qualification and prequalification program in the contract appendix;
• the realization of the collective labor contracts, signed with the former airport administration.

The Ministry of Transport assured the representatives of the syndicates that in the contract, the whole year operation of the both airports has been foreseen. Minister Mutafchiev guaranteed that the employee’s remuneration of both airports will be paid in accordance with the labor legislation.

The Chief Executive Director of “Fraport Twin Star Management” Ltd Andreas Helfer confirmed his intentions as a concessionaire of our sea airports, and also guaranteed to transfer the Fraport experience from Frankfurt to the Bulgarian seaside. The signed KTD will be preserved for a one year period after the start of the concession contract. All employees in the two airports will be reappointed according to article123 of the labor law. In the appendix of the contract will include a program for qualification and prequalification of the personnel. The individual employees incomes will be saved without any decrease, and future negotiations between the syndicates and the employer will give a possibility for their growth.

At the end of the meeting the three sides expressed their satisfaction from the negotiations and agreed to carry out public meetings for detailed explanation of the achieved social agreements to the collectives of the two airports.

For additional information:
Vera Deianova, Press Centre,
Ministry of Transport
Phone: 940 95 34
E-Mail: vdeianova@mt.government.bg