Finance Ministry asks for more time to finalise Czech Airlines privatisation

The Finance Ministry would like to delay a decision on the privatisation of state carrier Czech Airlines, Hospodářské noviny reported on Tuesday. Ministry official Tomáš Uvíra told the paper that those overseeing the privatisation would like until October 20, a fortnight more than scheduled, to make a final decision on the airline’s future. The deadline for bids remains September 30, the newspaper reports. On Tuesday afternoon, Finance Minister Eduard Janota said that a decision on the privatisation would be made in around 14 days. According to the Ministry’s Tomáš Uvíra, the Finance Ministry would like more time not only to assess the single bid for the airline, made by a consortium of Unimex-Travel Service, but to restructure the troubled airline, which announced record losses earlier this year.