It is possible that BTC is granted the third GSM license within a couple of months, according to Deputy Prime Minister and Transport Minister Nikolay Vassilev. Otherwise, Bulgaria's telecom privatization deal would be gravely breached, he told bTV private channel on Sunday. The issue of the third mobile operator licence award was one of the crucial conditions and potential deal-breaker for the finalization of the landmark sale deal for 65% stake in the BTC to Viva Ventures. Following a last-minute breakthrough the sale contract was signed late on February 20. The GSM licence was offered among the other parameters of the deal, publicly announced at the beginning of 2002. A problem arose following the recent adoption of legal amendments, under which holding a tender is the only way for issuing a licence. The provisionary deadline for finalizing the deal expires on April 20, when BTC's buyer must pay off the contracted price about the 65 % equity stake.