Serbia’s infrastructure ministry on Friday extended by one month their tender for an investor in a joint venture to set up a new airline to replace heavily-indebted national carrier JAT, AFP reported.
“The deadline to apply is extended to October 31,” following calls of those interested to give them more time to prepare better for the application procedure, the ministry said in a statement.
“Other parts of the tender remained unchanged,” it said, adding that it would not reveal who is interested until the end of the tender.
Earlier this week local media speculated that nobody showed interest for the call. Serbia has already tried twice in the last two years to sell its ailing national carrier, but no willing buyers have came forward.
The government decided in April 2010 to create a new company to replace JAT.
In 2009, JAT recorded a loss of 23.5 million euros and put its debts at 146 million euros. Figures for 2010 have not yet been released but JAT officials have said they do not expect a profit.
Since December 2009, several low cost airlines started operating from Belgrade which led to a further decline in JAT’s.
