On March 28th, Chișinău International Airport passed into state management, according to a statement from the airport’s press service. The airport had previously been leased to the company AviaInvest, controlled by Ilan Șor, for a period of 49 years.
The return to state administration came after a legal battle between AviaInvest and the Moldovan government, which had sued the company and requested the cancellation of the lease agreement. The decision was upheld by the Chișinău Court of Appeal in November 2022.
AviaInvest responded by suing Moldova in the Stockholm Arbitration Court, claiming that the authorities had pressured them and demanding compensation of 855 million euros. A final decision on the matter has not yet been made.
Representatives of the Public Proper Agency (APP), which will manage the airport, have not provided clear information on the subject. Despite requests for comment from the director of the APP, Alexandru Musteață, and the spokesperson for the Prime Minister, Daniel Vodă, no response has been received.
The transfer to state management has raised questions about the future of the airport and its operations. Some have speculated that the government may seek to privatize the airport in the future, while others have expressed concern about the lack of transparency and accountability in the decision-making process.
FOR THE MOST IMPORTANT NEWS, SUBSCRIBE TO OUR TELEGRAM CHANNEL!
For now, the airport will be managed by the state, and passengers are advised to check with their airlines for any updates or changes to their travel plans. The government’s silence on the matter has left many wondering about the implications of this decision and what the future holds for one of Moldova’s most important transportation hubs.