Israel delays Spacecom sale
January 25, 2022
By Chris Forrester
Israel’s communications ministry is delaying – and may ban – the sale of Israel’s Spacecom satellite business. Spacecom operates the AMOS fleet of satellites and was in the process of being sold to a Hungarian company 4iG.
Local reports in Israel say the communications ministry have declined to sign off the deal due to concerns about ties that 4iG is alleged to have with Hungary’s prime minister Viktor Orban.
The concerns are reportedly held by Israel’s powerful Shin Bet security agency.
The deal was announced in June 2021, whereby 51 per cent of Spacecom’s shares would be sold to 4iG, which has been a customer of Spacecom for some 30 years.