ZVARTNOTS AIRPORT OLD TERMINAL HINDERS CONCESSIONER’S EXPANSION PLAN
September 27, 2013 – 12:09 AMT
PanARMENIAN.Net – The representative of the General Department of
Civil Aviation (GDCA) Ashot Azizyan submitted a business plan to
Armenia International Airports CJSC during discussions at Armenian
Public Council.
The business plan includes a paragraph on demolition of the airport’s
old terminal. According to Azizyan, with the unsatisfactory state
the building is in, its fortification will require a minimum of AMD
10-12 million. Also, the old terminal renders the concessioner’s plan
to expand the airport area impossible.
Architects present at the discussed spoke against the old terminal’s
demolition, noting that the latter doesn’t necessarily hinder the
expansion plan.
A representative of the air transport policy subcommittee Isabella
Muradyan, in turn, noted that the old terminal allows landing of major
airliners, servicing of several planes, with the new building having
no such capacity. “The old terminal can also allocate a transit zone,”
she said, objecting to the demolition of the terminal.
As Azizyan noted upon completion of discussions, GDCA will support
any decision taken by the Public Council.
As the Public Council spokesperson Ani Gasparyan told PanARMENIAN.Net
a month ago, the head of the General Department of Civil Aviation
Artem Movsisyan requested the Council to organize public hearings on
the Zvartnots old terminal demolition.
“As he noted, with the airport development program discussed by the
government and Armenia International Airports CJSC, the possibility
of the terminal’s demolition is not ruled out,” Ms Gasparyan said.
At the same time, as Zvartnots press service told PanARMENIAN.Net
no application for demolition of the old terminal was submitted to
the Municipality.
Earlier, the Municipality’s Architectural Council gave a negative
assurance over the request of Armenia International Airports CJSC,
owned by Argentinean-Armenian businessman Eduardo Eurnekian, on
demolition of the old terminal.