VTB

Russian bank VTB said late on Nov. 7 it had reached an agreement with Alfa Group about a joint investment in Turkey's top mobile operator Turkcell.

The announcement comes ahead of a mid-November deadline for Russian billionaire Mikhail Fridman and Turkcell's founder Mehmet Emin Karamehmet to resolve a dispute over control of the Turkish company.

Bulgaria has extended for a second time the deadline to submit offers for the concession the government seeks to grant on Sofia Airport, the country's biggest airport.

Candidates can now send their offers before December 15, upon a decision approved on the last workday before the November 06 presidential elections, which was Friday, November 04.

Turkey's Limak Holding, Russia's VTB Capital and Switzerland's Flughafen Zuerich will together bid for the 35-year operation rights of an airport in the Bulgarian capital Sofia, a source close to the matter told Reuters. 

In September Bulgaria extended the deadline for bids in the tender by a month, to Nov. 18, due to increased interest in the process.

The Bulgarian Competition Protection Commission has given the green light to the acquisition of Vivacom, a key Bulgarian telecoms operator, by Bulgarian businessman Spas Rusev.

VTB Capital plc announced Wednesday it had hired one of the big four audit, consulting and advisory services firms to advise on the immediate sale of the leading Bulgarian telecom operator Vivacom.

VTB is currently a security agent for a EUR 150 M bridge loan to the indirect holding company of ("BTC EAD") Vivacom - Luxembourg-based Investment S.a.r.l (InterV).

The LIC 33 group, comprising investors from the EU, is acquiring control of Bulgarian telecommunication operator Vivacom and other leading companies in the country, dnevnik.bg reported on Wednesday.

LIC 33 will acquire majority stakes in Vivacom and other Bulgarian companies, according to the news daily. The names of the other companies weren't disclosed.