The ten-year deferral for payment of concession fees, which Sof Connect received in the spring of 2021, will not be canceled for now. An analysis shows that the deviation between the forecasts in the Sofia Airport concessionaire's offer for the two indicators - passenger flow and financial forecasts - has not been restored to pre-pandemic levels, says Minister of Transport Krasimira Stoyanova. Last year, it became clear that Sof Connect owes concession fees in the amount of over 79 million euros (over 154.8 million leva) for the first three years of the 35-year concession term alone. The fees will be paid in two equal installments only in the period 2046 - 2048 precisely because of the deferral granted by the Boyko Borisov government in the spring of 2021 due to the pandemic and reduced passenger flow. Then, Sof Connect paid only the initial concession fee of BGN 660 million. It is not clear why the relevant department did not remove the deferral of payment of fees, considering that in 2023, passenger traffic was restored to 2019 levels, before the start of the pandemic. The data show that over 7.2 million passengers were served by the airport in 2023. Compared to 2022, this is an increase of 1 million. Before the pandemic - in 2019 - over 7.1 million passengers were served. For the past 2024, the airport served over 7.9 million passengers, which is an increase of over 710 thousand trips compared to 2023. According to Minister Stoyanova, however, passenger traffic is not the only factor that has a bearing on the concession and fees. It indicates that, according to the supplementary agreement, the relevant department and the General Directorate of Civil Aviation Administration (DG CAA) monitor the effects of the pandemic on the implementation of the concession contract every year, and this monitoring is applied throughout the entire one-year period. The level of passenger traffic is monitored compared to that indicated in the concessionaire's offer (forecasts made before the onset of the pandemic), as well as financial indicators, such as total revenues, the rate of return on investment, its ability to generate profits, etc. The annual monitoring contains a comparison between the actual traffic data and the financial indicators of the concession and their values ????specified in the concessionaire's offer before COVID-19. The analysis of the past three monitoring periods since the concession start date (2021, 2022 and 2023) shows that the deviation between the concessionaire's bid forecasts for the two indicators, passenger flow and financial forecasts, have not been restored to pre-pandemic levels. Minister Stoyanova assures that the deferred annual concession fees are due and will be paid by the concessionaire together with the envisaged concession fees, which will be due for each of the last 10 years of the concession term.
Source: economic.bg (14.01.2025)

The Aviation Training Center of SOF Connect, the operator of Sofia Airport, has received accreditation from the Airports Association of the World (ACI). Thus, the Center is the only one in Bulgaria that will now train aviation specialists from all over the world under ACI programs. The Aviation Training Center of Sofia Airport joins the elite group of 21 accredited ACI training hubs in the world, including those of leading European airports such as Munich, Istanbul and Athens. The Center will organize and conduct, together with the Airports Association of the World and with lecturers provided by them, all training courses from the ACI portfolio, as well as develop programs to enhance the competencies of experts in the aviation sector. The SOF Connect Training Center is licensed by the General Directorate of Civil Aviation Administration and conducts various courses in security, cargo and ground operations, passenger service, safety, etc. With the international accreditation, the Aviation Training Center of Sofia Airport will train specialists from both the region and the world
Source: economy.bg (30.01.2025)

SOF Connect and Veolia Solutions Bulgaria have signed a three-year contract for the comprehensive maintenance of the buildings at the Sofia airport. As a global leader in the management of water, energy and multi-technical services, Veolia will also provide expert maintenance of the building systems. Veolia Solutions Bulgaria will implement the most advanced technologies for monitoring and management of maintenance, including its specialized software system for facility management CAFM (Computer Aided Facility Management), which will ensure fast and effective management of all activities for servicing the terminal buildings and infrastructure. Veolia has proven experience in managing airport infrastructures around the world - airports in Romania, Greece, the UK, the Middle East, including in Varna and Burgas.
Source: economy.bg (27.02.2025)

The concessionaire of Sofia Airport – “Sof Connect” – will have to start paying its concession fees from the beginning of next year, announced the Minister of Transport Grozdan Karadjov. For the last 20 years, the state-owned operator of the airport has paid 88.6 million euros to the state, which is 4.5 million euros per year. Shortly after the start of the concession, in the spring of 2021, the then-outgoing government of Boyko Borisov voted for a 10-year postponement of the concession fees due to the reduced passenger flow. “Sof Connect” owes concession fees in the amount of over 79 million euros (over 154.8 million leva) for the first three years of the 35-year concession alone. They must be paid in two equal installments only in the period 2046-2048. The concessionaire will pay in the manner stipulated when the concession was signed in 2020. At that time, a minimum fixed amount of just over 24.5 million euros was fixed, or 32% of the total concession revenues for the relevant year. Thus, the concessionaire pays the larger of the two amounts each year. If 32% of the revenues exceed the fixed amount, the percentage is charged. Otherwise, the fixed minimum fee is paid. If a new agreement is actually signed to regulate the new payments from next year, the deferral granted by GERB in 2021 will be for only 5 years, not 10. Most likely, the amounts due for these 5 years will be paid during the last 5 years of the concession.
Source: economic.bg (13.06.2025)

The Civil Aviation Administration Directorate General has discovered shortcomings in the work of the ground operators serving the airports in Sofia, Varna and Burgas - SOF Connect AD, Swissport Bulgaria AD, GoldAir Handling Bulgaria OOD and Fraport Twin Star Airport Management AD. The findings include insufficient hygiene in the buses, failure to use the function for lowering the floor (low level) when boarding and disembarking passengers, failure to use the air conditioning systems in the buses, lack of information in the event of a delay in the departure of the bus to the aircraft. The Civil Aviation Administration Directorate General will impose the maximum sanctions provided for in the law on the four ground operators - up to 500 leva.
Source: 24 chasa (17.06.2025)

The concessionaire of Sofia Airport "SOF Connect" is not inclined to start paying its concession fees early from the beginning of 2026, in connection with the government's intentions to request the company to resume the payment of concession fees after they were suspended for a period of 10 years during the covid pandemic. In 2021, the then Minister of Transport Rosen Zhelyazkov, in the last days of the third cabinet of Boyko Borisov, exempted the concessionaire of Sofia Airport from paying fees to the state for a period of 10 years due to the covid pandemic, which for a certain period of time led to the interruption of flights in Europe and almost the entire world. Shortly before that, the government had concluded a 35-year concession agreement with "SOF Connect". At that time, it was estimated that the 10-year postponement of concession payments by the operator of Sofia Airport would not enter the budget by a total of 245 million euros. Now, according to the government, travel and passenger numbers have recovered to pre-pandemic levels, as well as the total revenues of the concessionaire "SOF Connect", which is why they expect it to start paying its concession fees 5 years earlier than the planned 10-year period. According to the executive director of "SOF Connect" Jesus Caballero, however, despite the change in passenger flow and the presence of a jump over the result before the pandemic caused by the coronavirus, its impact is present and the company is suffering losses. Nearly 600 million leva have been paid in advance and investments of 72 million euros have been made, instead of the planned 43 million euros, which is 29 million euros more than planned for the first 5 years of the contract.
Source: Sega (07.08.2025)

Bulgarian company to build solar power plant at Sofia Airport The concessionaire of the capital's Vasil Levski Airport - SOF Connect - has signed a contract for the construction of a photovoltaic power plant with the Bulgarian company Hydropower Company (HEC), which will build the facility on the airport's own land. The project, with a capacity of nearly 5 megawatts, is the first major step towards realizing the airport's ambitious goal of complete climate neutrality by 2036. The plant will cover an area of ??about 50 thousand square meters and will be equipped with over 8,300 solar panels. SOF Connect plans to build an entire photovoltaic park with a capacity of 20 megawatts, which will be completed by 2033 and will be able to cover a large part of the airport's needs. In the longer term, the construction of battery facilities to store the generated energy is also planned. According to preliminary plans, the first 5 megawatts should be installed by the end of 2026. "Hydroenergy Company" AD is a Bulgarian company headquartered in Blagoevgrad, founded in 2006. Its main activity is the construction and operation of renewable energy facilities - initially hydropower plants, and subsequently photovoltaic parks in our country and abroad. Its first solar power plant was built in 2010, and to date, over 160 photovoltaic power plants have been built in 21 countries around the world. The company is managed by Ivan Chapov, Manol Chapov and "HK Struma Stroy" Ltd. As of 2023, the company has generated revenues of over 40 million leva and reported a net profit of 178 thousand leva.
Source: economic.bg (23.09.2025)

Construction work on Terminal 3 at Sofia Airport "Vasil Levski" is scheduled to begin in the spring of 2026 and is expected to last 5 years, until April 2031, when the construction deadline is set. The expansion of Sofia Airport "Vasil Levski" is expected to open 34 gates to accommodate 20 million passengers. Half of them will be at the new Terminal 3, announced SOF Connect - operator of Vasil Levski Airport. The expansion of Sofia Airport with a third terminal will give Bulgaria a strategic advantage. With it, it will have the largest ground capacity in this part of Europe and will position itself in a regional hub. The investment amounts to BGN 500 million. Part of the financing is provided by international financial institutions such as the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development and the World Bank. Once Terminal 3 is built and ready to merge with Terminal 2, Terminal 1 is set to close.
Source: Duma (26.09.2025)

Over 40 companies have expressed interest in the construction of Terminal 3 and the modernization of Terminal 2 at Vasil Levski Airport - Sofia, announced Jesus Caballero, CEO of SOF Connect. The scope of the tender procedure includes the design and construction of a new Terminal 3 with an area of ??60,000 sq. m, which will be connected to the existing Terminal 2 building and increase the annual passenger capacity from seven million passengers to 20 million passengers. This includes new areas for arriving and departing passengers, a centralized "Security" checkpoint, offices and service premises for airport users, a passenger wing, and commercial areas. The modernization of the existing Terminal 2 building with an area of ??72,000 sq m is planned. The activities include the expansion of the retail areas in both the public and post-Security areas, the conversion of the existing passenger processing areas into offices and auxiliary premises for airport users, and the repair and renovation of the existing airport systems.
Source: Darik Radio (22.10.2025)

For almost a year now, the Ministry of Transport and Communications and the concessionaire of the Sofia Airport "SOF Connect" have been negotiating the payment of the concession fee. The revenue from concessions for 2026 in the budget of the Ministry of Transport is 59.4 million euros. A significant part of them is from the full concession fee of "Vasil Levski" Airport. "SOF Connect" received a 10-year deferral for the payment of the concession fee due to the coronavirus pandemic in the last days of the Boyko Borissov government in the spring of 2021. The Sofia Airport reported significantly better indicators for 2024 than the pre-COVID 2019 - more passengers and aircraft served and an increase in revenue. "SOF Connect" paid an advance of over 660 million leva to the state for the 35-year concession. For the first 5 years, the concessionaire had to invest 72 million euros. No information has been publicly presented on how much money the company has invested so far. According to the signed concession agreement, the remuneration is 32% of the total revenues for the respective value or just over 24.5 million euros per year, depending on which of the two values ??is higher. Due to the crisis in the aviation industry caused by the coronavirus, SOF Connect received a deferral for the payment of about 250 million euros - the concession fee for the first 10 years. This amount will have to be paid in the last 10 years of the contract, i.e. payment to begin in 2046. Last year it became clear that for the first three years of the concession, SOF Connect owes over 79 million euros to the state, which will be paid in two equal installments in the period 2046 - 2048. It is expected that by the end of the year the concessionaire will say whether it is willing to begin paying a concession fee and in what amount from 2026.
Source: mediapool.bg (20.11.2025)