Riga Airport should be privatized - Luhse

RIGA - The Riga International Airport should be privatized and deal exclusively with business activities, believes the airport's CEO Arnis Luhse.

Luhse explains in an interview with the newspaper Diena that the airport's operations should be business activities subject to various conditions from the state.

"Europe and the world went through this process ten years ago," points out Luhse.

Luhse believes that the fact that the airport belongs to the state is the only hindrance to its development.

At the same time, there are many positive factors, explains Luhse. In several years, the airport will easily service seven million passengers per year, if the national airline will continue to exist, since Riga’s geographical location is favorable.

As reported, on October 12, Transport Minister Aivis Ronis informed Luhse that he had lost confidence in the airport's CEO. Ronis also informed him that alterations to the makeup of the airport's board will be considered during the airport's shareholders meeting on Oct. 19.

Luhse has been unable to develop constructive cooperation with the national airline airBaltic, the airport has failed to attract new carriers or offer passengers flights to new destinations, and airport reconstruction process is behind schedule.