No plans to give VIA to GMR: Presidential Spokesperson

Spokesperson for the President's Office, Ibrahim Hood, on Thursday refuted allegations that the government was in talks to hand over Velana International Airport (VIA) to GMR Group of India.

Operations of the main airport of Maldives was given to GMR for 35 years during Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP)'s previous administration, under the presidency of Mohamed Nasheed. The contract was deemed damaging to the Maldivian state and terminated by Mohamed Waheed, who rose to presidency after Nasheed fell from power. Since then, VIA has been operated by Maldives Airports Company Ltd (MACL).