Today is concluded receiving applications for the tender for the sale of the Czech Republic’s ownership interest in Czech Airlines

Following the Government Resolutions No. 1593 of 16 December 2008 and No. 75 of 19 January 2009, the Ministry of Finance of the Czech Republic has launched a tender for the sale of a 91.51 % ownership interest held by the Czech Republic in Czech Airlines.

The tender conditions as well as the summary information on Czech Airlines are available at the official website of the Ministry of Finance.

The tender shall be conducted in two rounds. The first round shall serve as a qualifying round. In the second round, the only criterion shall be the bid and guaranteed purchase price.

The selection of bidders, who will be allowed to present a binding bid for the Czech Republic’s ownership interest in Czech Airlines, shall be made by the Czech government. The government’s decision will, among others, take into account actual or threatened national security risks

(e.g. whether a bidder comes from a country perceived by the government as presenting a threat to global peace and security, the fight against terrorism and protection of human rights). The government will also consider whether a bidder is or is not, directly or indirectly, controlled by administrative structures of a country whose foreign and domestic policies present a threat to the Czech Republic’s national security and contradicts the Czech Republic’s national security interests.

The transaction documentation to be concluded with the purchaser of the Czech Republic’s ownership interest in Czech Airlines will, among others, include the purchaser’s obligations with respect to maintaining a domestic base at Prague Airport, maintaining air transport as the company’s core business, maintaining the overall safety and security of Czech Airline’s operations and maintaining Czech Airlines’ European/national carrier status.

Interested parties must submit their Expression of Interest to participate in the Tender to the filing room of the Ministry of Finance at Letenska 15, 118 10, Prague 1 on any working day between 9:00 am to 16:00 p.m. after the announcement of the Tender, but no later than by 12:00 a.m. on 23 March 2009.