Finance ministry selects consultants for airport

The Czech finance ministry has announced that it has selected Credit Suisse Securities as its consultant for the first phase of the privatisation of Prague’s state-controlled international airport, Prague-Ruzyne. Ministry spokesman Ondrej Jakob said that cost and references were principle criteria for the choice. According to the spokesman, the first phase of the airport's privatisation should also determine how much of the busiest airport in Central Europe to sell off and how the sale should proceed. Another consultant responsible for selecting a strategic investor for the airport, expected to take place during the second half of 2008, will be chosen later, he added. A series of major construction and airport companies are interested in the sale, which could raise up to 100 billion crowns (the equivalent of around 5.5 billion US dollars).