The Ministry of Transport and Communications has again cancelled the public call for financial support of airlines, released on September 13.
Minister Goran Sugareski told a press conference on Wednesday that Wizz Air was the only company to submit a bid, which does not correspond to the criteria of the public call.
In the bid, Wizz Air is planning introduce four destinations from Ohrid-based airport “St.Paul the Apostle” as of August 2019, which goes against one of the tender criteria.
“The call clearly reads that the airline is obliged to introduce two flights from the Ohrid airport as of January 2019, and additional two flights within a year from the agreement’s signing. Wizz Air has offered to introduce all four destinations in August 2019. Therefore, the commission established that the conditions of the public call have not been met and recommended that the call is cancelled. This leaves me with no other option than to cancel the procedure,” said Minister Sugareski.
He added that the Government remains committed to financially supporting airlines that offer new destinations to Macedonian citizens, with subsidy funds already allocated in the budget.
The ministry will announce a new public call shortly.
“The criteria and the conditions will remain unchanged as in the previous call,” added Sugareski.
He denied reports that the tender is cancelled for the purpose of favoring Air Albania.
Two public calls have thus far been cancelled, with Wizz Air the only company submitting bids at both.
