Bulgaria will launch concession tenders for the civil airports in Rousse, Gorna Oryahovitsa, Plovdiv and Stara Zagora in 2007, Transport Minister Petar Moutafchiev said.

Defence Ministry possessed the airports of Gorna Oryahovitsa, Plovdiv and Stara Zagora, but it would turn them over to the Transport Ministry by March 2007, Moutafchiev said as quoted by Bulgarian National Radio (BNR).

Plovdiv Airport, which was handling the traffic of Sofia Airport in case of bad weather, had the capacity of only 150 passengers per day, Moutafchiev said.

Its capacity was insufficient for a back-up airport, Moutafchiev said.

The airport had good prospects for development as low-cost companies were increasingly interested to transfer tourists to Bansko, Pamporovo and Borovets winter resorts.

Another possibility for Plovdiv Airport development was the merger of the two companies which maintain it. The airport could be modernised using the turnover means and budget funding.