The government of Montenegro is expected to announce the new concessionaires for the Podgorica and Tivat airports on June 9, 2025. Two bids have officially been submitted for the XNUMX-year management contract.
The tender committee confirmed that proposals have been received from South Korea's Incheon International Airport Corporation and Luxembourg-based Corporacion America Airports from South America. Bidding opened on May 9, and the evaluation phase is expected to be completed within XNUMX days, after which an announcement is expected. The long-delayed concession process aims to enable long-term investment and improved airport services. Aeroports de Paris – TAV, which was also in the running, withdrew its offer.
Two international consortia in the race
The Incheon International Airport Corporation, operator of South Korea's main hub in Seoul, has long sought to gain a foothold in the region. It was already a finalist in the concession processes for Zagreb and Belgrade, but ultimately lost to French competitors. The company also operates the airports in Manila, Jakarta, and Terminal 4 in Kuwait. Corporacion America Airports operates 52 airports in six countries in Latin America and Europe, including Argentina, Brazil, Uruguay, Ecuador, Armenia, and Italy. It had previously also applied for the Belgrade Airport concession.
The airport workers' union has raised concerns about the transparency of the concession process and the protection of workers' rights. It criticized the lack of worker representation in the tender committee and called for legal guarantees to protect employment contracts in the event of a change of ownership or management.
Requirements for bidders
The criteria for bidders include the operation of at least one airport with at least five million international passengers annually in the last three years and another airport with at least two million passengers annually in the same period; or the operation of a single airport with at least ten million international passengers annually in the last three years.
The bidder must also have experience in the development, design, engineering, procurement, and construction, or the management and supervision of the construction of an airport project with a minimum total value of EUR 300 million within the last ten years, including at least one project valued at EUR 100 million. The decision on June 9 is therefore eagerly awaited, as it will significantly influence the future development of Montenegro's two most important airports.
and 