<p>The only interested party has applied for the competition for Liberec Airport.</p>

Liberec - Only one applicant has registered for the competition for the airport in Liberec - Ostašov. The spokesman for the Liberec city council, Martin Korych, informed ČTK about this. He did not disclose who is interested in the seventy-hectare area or how much they are offering. The envelope will be opened next week, and the sale is expected to be decided by the Liberec council probably at the end of May. According to unofficial information, the only interested party in the airport is Petr Turek, the founder of the company Integra, who is an enthusiastic amateur pilot. The city wants at least 104.9 million crowns for the land.
    The intention to sell the airport was published by Liberec on the official board already last autumn. This is not the first time discussions have taken place regarding the sale of the large area, as the city does not want to invest in its development. "I am convinced that Liberec does not need an international airport due to its location; we are close to Prague and Dresden, and companies usually use regular flight connections," said the mayor of Liberec, Kittner, to ČTK earlier. Discussions about the sale of the area took place five years ago when the company Exonex Airport CZ wanted to build an international airport in Liberec. The company promised to invest half a billion crowns in the development of the area, but the project failed.
    The Liberec region does not like the plan. "The airport should remain with the city. It is the only area nearby where it can be located. And no one knows what the new owner plans to do with the place," said Martin Sepp, deputy governor of Liberec, to ČTK. However, the region does not consider buying the airport; given the current economic situation, it cannot afford it. The regional leadership recently requested Liberec officials in a letter to reconsider their intention. However, they do not propose any solutions and only offer vague cooperation. "We want the airport to function as a public international airport. That is why we provided the Aeroclub with a subsidy of 1.1 million crowns for three years. The money should be used to ensure safety and other matters, and they should then obtain a license for operations," Sepp added. However, the city has terminated the contract with the Aeroclub.
    Liberec Airport began operations in April 1934. A few years ago it lost its international status when the Aeroclub of the Czech Republic requested its suspension from the Civil Aviation Authority. International operations were resumed only two years ago. Currently, the airport operates as an international but non-public one, so aircraft from abroad must announce their arrival 24 hours in advance. Due to noise and the lack of lighting, aircraft can only land in Liberec during the day; moreover, the area does not have a fixed runway, so only small aircraft weighing up to 5.7 tons for 12 to 14 passengers can land there. According to estimates, building a fixed runway would cost between 200 and 300 million crowns. However, the city does not have such an investment.