The travelers who will take the plane from Chisinau will continue to pay the modernization tax of €9 that is included in the price of ticket after the concession of the airport as well. The tax was instituted after a loan was taken out from the EBRD for modernizing the airport. The state hasn’t put a levy on this tax, but will do it when the airport is managed by the concessionaire. The information was provided in the hearings held by the parliamentary commission on economy, IPN reports.

The Liberal reformers and the Socialist MP Igor Dodon said it is nonsense for the Government to allow a company to invest €250 million in the airport, but to gain €500 million from taxes imposed on the people.

Deputy Minister of Economy Tudor Copaci said that having revenues of about 8 million lei a year, the state-run Chisinau International Airport cannot allocate money for modernization. Investments of €40-50 million are needed in the next two-three years to build one more terminal, a strip, a parking lot and other facilities.

He also said that the company that won the concession contest was to become resident of Moldova and to pay all the state taxes. Under the contract with it, the company will keep all the airport’s employees. Furthermore, if it creates workplaces, Moldovan residents will represent 80% of the employees in the concession period.

The Government took the decision to concede the airport in 2012. On May 29, 2013 it announced a tender contest, which in August was won by a company from Russia’s Habarovsk. The company is to administer the airport for 49 years.

Liberal reformers challenged the Government’s decision to hold the contest in the Constitutional Court. They argued the executive took the decision on May 29, after it was dismissed. The Court suspended the Government’s decision to concede the airport and its assets until it passes a definitive decision.