Podgorica, (MINA-BUSINESS) – Montenegro stands to gain €1 billion in benefits from the concession of its airports, Prime Minister Milojko Spajic said, adding that the Government would never sell the country’s airport assets.

Speaking during Prime Minister’s Question Time in Parliament, Spajic said that the €100 million upfront payment is only a small portion of the total €1 billion in benefits Montenegro is expected to receive from the concession.

The leader of the United Reform Action (URA), Dritan Abazovic, asked why the Government had accepted the concession price for the airports in Podgorica and Tivat based on the 2018 valuation, despite the fact that the value of the airports' assets had at least doubled in the meantime.

“How is it possible that we are granting a monopoly at a price that is far below any reasonable level?” Abazovic asked.

Spajic replied that the concessionaire would be required to invest more than €300 million in the airports.

“After 30 years, the airports will revert to state ownership. We are not selling the assets, and we would never agree to sell the airports,” Spajic said.