Airline to keep national carrier status

  • 1999-03-04
VILNIUS (BNS) - Lietuvos Avialinijos plans to maintain the status of the national air carrier after its privatization.

The Lithuanian State Assets Fund General Director Stasys Vaitkevicius said he discussed the airline's privatization during a meeting with Transport Minister Rimantas Didziokas Feb. 23.

"I requested to present an official letter offering to privatize 49 percent of the company," he said.

The government has pledged to keep a controlling stake in the company and has passed a resolution in this respect.

The fund will apply to EU-Phare, Germany's Transform and other programs for assistance, including a financial support, in working out privatization documents for LAL, Vaitkevicius said.

"We hope to receive such assistance in several weeks and to begin the LAL privatization process as soon as this spring," he said.

The transport minister has said that a LAL investor should also be a partner able to perform airline operations.