PM discusses cooperation after French company acquires ownership in Tbilisi, Batumi airports operator

Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili and Edward Arkwright, the Deputy Chief Executive Officer of the French airport operator Groupe ADP, on Tuesday discussed prospects of cooperation following the company’s acquiring of ownership in TAV Airports, a holding operating two of Georgia’s major airports.

The Government Administration said the meeting had reviewed future development strategy, including further improvement of services of airports in the capital Tbilisi and the Black Sea city of Batumi.

Garibashvili said the country’s "swift economic advancement", coupled with a "growing inflow” of tourists, had created grounds for "ambitious plans" in the sector. The PM also told the company representative his Government stood “ready to actively cooperate" with Groupe ADP to promote entry of new airline companies to the domestic market.

The French company has acquired shares and become the owner of the Turkish airport operator TAV Airports, a holding that operates 15 airports in eight countries, including two in Georgia, over the recent years.

Groupe ADP itself manages and operates over 20 airports around the world, including the Charles de Gaulle and Orly Airports in Paris.