The Militzer&Munch (M&M) International Holding AG intends to rehabilitate the Balti airport and extend the airstrip.

 

Representative of the holding Iurie Gheorghita said at Tuesday’s news conference at Infotag that Moldova has many airports, but only the Chisinau air gate remains functional and corresponding to all standards.

 

According to him, the project underwent a feasibility analysis, which showed that the Balti airport, which is standing idle since 1990s, lacks necessary logistics.

 

“Given the security requirement, the airport needs to extend the airstrip by 500 meters for ensuring an efficient operation. This will allow servicing such aircrafts as EMB, Airbus, Boeing. Also it is necessary to build a new terminal for passengers. The total cost of the first part of the project - airport reconstruction - is 30 million euros, while the second – the extending of the airstrip, will demand 10-15 million euros more”, Gheorghita said.

 

He maintains that modernization of the airport will allow creating 200 jobs, as well as conditions for work of other economic agents and will contribute to the city development.

 

“After modernization, the airport can be used as regional, transit for passengers transportation, as well as of cargoes. It can become a reserve airport for Chisinau as well as other airports, for example those of Ukraine and Romania”, Gheorghita said.

 

He said that representatives of the company with headquarters in Switzerland sent a letter with the proposal on airport modernization to the Moldovan Economy Ministry and the Ministry of Transport and Road Infrastructure, as well as to the Balti Primaria [city government].

 

“We want to take it into concession for 49 years, just like the Chisinau airport was given”, Gheorghita said, stressing that there is no politician or party behind the holding.

 

“Given the situation in the country, the holding takes risks, investing a huge sum in construction, and will be able to get profit, or at least return the invested money only after seven years”, he stressed.

 

Infotag’s dossier: The M&M holding was founded in 1880 in Germany. It operates in the field of transport and transport logistics. The holding started its operation from the road and railroad transport. Since early 1930s it went in for the water transport, while since 1949 – air transport. In the same year the holding became member of the International Air Transport Organization. In 1962, the M&M opened the first air transportation center in Frankfurt [Germany]. Over 135 years, the M&M activity extended to all the continents. Currently, over 100 companies of the holding are working in around 30 countries.