The President of the Republic of Tatarstan met with the Director of Federal Air Navigation Authority

July 8th, the President of the Republic of Tatarstan, Mintimer Shaimiev, met with the director of the Federal Air Navigation Authority, Alexander Neradko, in the Kazan Kremlin.

At the beginning of the talks, Mintimer Shaimiev noted the country’s progress, which includes the improvement in air navigation. The head of the Republic considers that «the problems the airport faces remain an important governmental concern. Passenger service must improve every year and safety provision due to a higher flow of passengers is becoming an even more prominent task. Solving these problems is an important matter, especially for the attractiveness of the country.»

According to the President of the Republic of Tatarstan, the Republic has all the necessary resources in order to reform the air navigation sector in the least painful way. Mintimer Shaimiev stressed that, «We must go through a period of reform without losses and raise the sector to a higher technological level.»

According to the head of the Republic, because the 2013 Universiade will be held in Kazan, one of the key tasks will be the reconstruction of the international airport «Kazan». The «Kazan» airport will be ready to welcome all the participants and guests of the 2013 World Student Games, where the number of participating countries is twice the number of those participating in the winter games.

The President also noted the necessity of a solicitous attitude toward airport personnel, which is comprised of over 200 dispatchers. In addition, the head of Tatarstan looked into the possibility of preparing personnel with the knowledge of foreign languages.

At the end of the talks, Alexander Neradko noted that the «Kazan» airport, which would cater to all of the participants and guests of the 2013 Universiade entering Kazan, must have the latest technology in air traffic control. According to Neradko, «the Federal Air Navigation Authority plans to invest 192 million rubles in renovating airport facilities designated for air traffic control. This renovation will include new locators, an automated system of air traffic control, a new landing system, and other equipment. The plan is to install all the aforementioned equipment before the beginning of the 2013 Universiade. Financing of the project will begin in 2009.»

The Minister of Transportation and Roads, Ildous Faskhutdinov, in turn, stated that the project plans for the reconstruction of the «Kazan» airport have not been completed in full. «Initial investments from the bulgar side («Khimimport» company) in the reconstruction of the airport will make up 50 million dollars of registered capital, the first digits of which [the minister is] certain. The carrying capacity of the 2 new «Kazan» airport terminals will be 4,5 million people per year.»