BELGRADE (Serbia), August 10 (SeeNews) – Serbia's government has assumed management of Nis airport from the Nis city government, paving the way for new investments, the infrastructure ministry said.
Infrastructure minister Zorana Mihajlovic signed an agreement on the transfer of founding rights on Nis airport with the mayor of Nis, the infrastructure ministry said in a statement on Thursday.
"Nis airport is of strategic importance for Serbia as an alternative airport to Belgrade and a reserve air traffic control centre thanks to the new flight control tower that we will build in Nis," Mihajlovic said.
"By transferring management to the government of Serbia, Nis airport will be enabled to function normally and funds will be provided for investments that will allow for the airport's further development, so that in the future it will be one of the leaders in this part of the region," she added.
The government of Serbia made the decision to take over the management of Nis airport after numerous requests for aid from the city of Nis and the airport's management.
In the past four years, Serbia has assisted Nis airport with a total of 9.8 million euro ($11.2 million).
Earlier this year, the infrastructure ministry said the government aims to boost traffic at Nis airport to 750,000 passengers in 2027 from about 350,000 last year.
The Nis city government said in October the airport plans to start in 2018 a project for the construction of a new traffic control tower and the installation of an Approach Lighting Systems (ALS) to guide aircraft when landing.
Last August, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development said Serbia and Montenegro Air Traffic Services would open a tender for the construction of a new Nis air traffic control tower, using the proceeds of a loan extended by the EBRD and the European Investment Bank.
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