The Turkish Çelebi Group has pulled out from the deal with the Georgian government to reconstruct the Tbilisi International Airport after the company failed to provide financial guarantees by September 2, Georgian Economy Minister Irakli Chogovadze said on Saturday.
 
Chogovadze said that two other Turkish companies – TAV and Urban - have jointly expressed interest to reconstruct the Tbilisi airport. Talks are also underway with the consortium regarding the reconstruction of the airport in Batumi, Adjara Autonomous Republic, Chogovadze said.

He said that an agreement will be signed with the consortium of TAV and Urban either on September 5 or September 6 in Tbilisi.

“The deal envisages the investment of a total of USD 95 million, which also includes the construction of an airport in Batumi,” Irakli Chogovadze said.
 
Initially, a consortium of three companies - the Turkish Çelebi Group, Luxembourg-based Gestion en Technique Spéciale (GTS) and U.S. A&J – planned to invest USD 62 million to reconstruct the Tbilisi airport within a year, after they won a tender announced by the Georgian government. But later two companies - GTS and A&J - pulled out from a consortium.