Following a decision of the Bulgarian Supreme Administrative Court of 5 June 2020, the French-German consortium SOF Connect was confirmed as Sofia Airport's concessionaire for the next 35 years. SOF Connect consists of Meridiam, Strabag and Munich Airport International. In July 2019, SOF Connect was selected by the Ministry of Transport, Information Technology and Communications as the winning bidder in the concession procedure for Sofia Airport. The Ministry's decision was challenged before the Bulgarian competition authority by three of the other participants in the public tender. The Commission on Protection of Competition (CPC) confirmed the selection of SOF Connect and its decision was then appealed before the Supreme Administrative Court. The Court as the final instance upheld CPC's decision.
As part of SOF Connect's legal panel, Kambourov & Partners, Kinstellar Bulgaria and Bouzeva & Partners successfully assisted the winning bidder in the litigation phase.
Sofia Airport's concession is one of the most significant projects in the Bulgarian economy in recent years and a major foreign investment opportunity with huge public impact.
Related content: Litigation,Public Procurement, Aviation
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